


On The B.O.A.A (On The Brink Of An Abyss)

by SeverelyBurnt_Toast



Category: Persona 5, Persona 5 - The Royal, Persona 5: Royal
Genre: 80's Music, 90's Music, Abuse, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bullying, Cafe Leblanc (Persona 5), Child Abuse, Dark, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Inspired by Music, Men Crying, Mental Anguish, Mental Instability, Music, Musical References, Near Sighted Persona 5 Protagonist, Not Beta Read, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Past Sexual Abuse, Persona 5 Protagonist Has A Palace, Personal Growth, References to Depression, Ren is basically baby from baby driver, Sexual Abuse, The Velvet Room (Persona Series), Verbal Abuse, we die on the front lines
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:08:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29268492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeverelyBurnt_Toast/pseuds/SeverelyBurnt_Toast
Summary: A buzz. Constant and eternal.No amount of picking or scratching could quell it. Ren’s only saving grace was the dull hum of the earbuds lodged into his ears playing a concoction of blues jazz, classic rock, and whatever else managed to get dragged out from the depths of his music app.It was calming. It was his life.And when he transfers to Shujin academy after being wrongfully accused of assault, that life is thrown through the wringer.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 15
Kudos: 71





	1. A Door In This Wall Of Light

**Author's Note:**

> So, this monstrosity was derived from me watching Baby Driver while also playing Persona 5. Will it turn out well? Who knows, but I had a lot of fun writing this first chapter so I hope to write a story many people will enjoy. I'm going to try and change up some aspects so it's more of an original story, while also sticking true to Persona 5. Reading the tags will result in you learning of a major plot-point I hope to implement eventually so, yeah, let's hope for the best! I also plan on making this a darker story than the original Persona 5 and Persona 5: Royal, will I succeed? Maybe. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

_4/9_

A buzz. Constant and eternal. 

No amount of picking or scratching could quell it. Ren’s only saving grace was the dull hum of the earbuds lodged into his ears playing a concoction of blues jazz, classic rock, and whatever else managed to get dragged out from the depths of his music app. 

It was calming.

In the sea of unfamiliarity that was Shibuya; The chaos that had been his arrest, sentencing, and probation approval, music had remained the only constant in Ren’s life. His hands curled protectively over his phone, eyes blankly staring forward at his screen as he entered the back streets of Yongen-Jaya. The surrounding area looked terribly rundown. It was nothing more than a street lined with decaying shops, lingering onto the golden ages they once ruled. 

Ren adjusted the strap of his bag; the sun was starting to set. Checking his phone’s GPS, the small icon of a nearby café caught his attention. It was down an alleyway not too far away on his right, a quick detour into it to grab a bite to eat before making his way to his new guardian’s home would hardly hurt anyone. 

Shoving his phone into his pocket, Ren made his way down to the café, subconsciously avoiding the gaze of a police officer manning the street corner. Even the mere sensation of the cop’s eyes trailing him sent waves of anxiety coursing through his veins. 

It was another reminder after all. The unfamiliar, daunting surroundings, the GPS, the ensuing nausea of feeling every pair of eyes turn to him in unease and curiosity. 

They were all just reminders that he _didn’t belong here_. 

He was the main attraction at the local circus; the clown. _The freak._

The music helped drown it all out. The hushed whispers, the thinly veiled questions, the constant ringing that wormed its way into his ears. With a firm shake of his head, Ren pushed out his quickly darkening thoughts. 

He pushed open the door to _Café Leblanc_ with a small dose of hesitation, the soft chime of a bell above him caused the middle-aged man working behind the counter to turn towards him with an expression that was equal parts intrigued and flat. Ren honed in on the newspaper held firm in the man’s hand; he was completing the crossword puzzle, Ren noted.

“What can I get you, kid?” The man’s voice was gravelly; the low rumble of his tone fitting the café’s aesthetic quite well.

Ren blinked owlishly as he took in his surroundings. The café was small, narrow was a more fitting term. The left wall was lined with booths, only one of which was filled by an elderly couple. The right side sported the main countertop, lined with stools. A TV in the back of the café was displaying the news, its volume turned to its max setting as the older couple focused their attention on it. The size of the establishment sent a strange juxtaposition of comfort and claustrophobia through Ren’s body.

“House blend please, with a little extra sugar,” Ren ordered as he sat on the closest stool. “And some directions.”

The barista’s eyebrow cocked itself upwards as he began pouring a kettle of boiling water through a coffee filter, the boiling liquid shifting from clear to a muddied brown as it absorbed the ground coffee beans. 

“You couldn't just use your GPS like the rest of the kids around this place?” The man asked roughly, throwing in a small pinch of sugar before sliding the freshly-made drink towards Ren.

The younger man could only offer a shrug before taking a short, cautious sip of his drink. “Didn’t want to pause my music I guess.”

The barista frowned but ultimately didn’t object. Throwing a rag over his shoulder, and crossing his arms, the barista leveled Ren with a blank stare.

“Who’re you lookin’ for, kid?” 

Ren took a second, longer sip of his drink. Internally debating just how much information to share with the barista to get his point across without coming off as suspicious. Out of the corner of his eye, he could spot the older couple placing a few bills on the top of their booth table before taking their leave. The barista had a short conversation with the couple regarding a topic that was lost to the depths of Ren’s music. With a slightly disgruntled _“come again,”_ as the couple exited the establishment, the barista focused on Ren once again. Giving the younger man a gesture to pick up where the two left off. 

“Sojiro Sakura. He’s supposed to house me while I-.”

“You’re on probation.” 

Ren’s head snapped upwards at record speeds, his earbuds nearly falling out of his ears at the sudden shift. The man behind the counter’s frown had deepened significantly; his overall body language seemed much tenser.

“So… you’re?”

The barista let out a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to quell an oncoming headache. “They did say that was today,” the older man grumbled. He glanced around the now empty café once before giving Ren a much harder, much _harsher_ stare. “I’m Sojiro Sakura. Which means you’re the brat moving in upstairs.”

Ren frowned at the sudden shift from ‘kid’ to ‘brat’ but quickly passed the change with a shaky nod of his head.

“I’m sure you already know that you’ll be under my care for the next year,” Sojiro stated. He made a flippant gesture in Ren’s direction, causing the younger man to quickly finish the rest of his drink before standing up.

“I was wondering what kind of unruly delinquent they were going to send me, but…” Sojiro gave Ren a once over, shrugging a singular shoulder. “Guess you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

Ren could feel Sojiro’s eyes linger over him for what felt like the umpteenth time during their short interaction; watching the subtle movements of the older man’s tired eyes as they came to a stop somewhere near his head, more specifically, his ears.

“You know, it’s usually considered rude to not take out your earbuds when you’re talking to someone,” Sojiro advised grumpily. 

A sudden heat crept its way up Ren’s neck and cheeks. Self-consciousness ignited embarrassment.

“S-Sorry, it’s just,” Ren tapped the soft patch of skin just beneath his earlobe and behind his jaw. “Tinnitus, I use music to drown out the hum.  
Sojiro responded with a quizzical look but didn’t question the explanation.

“Well, it’s not my problem if you’ve already got it figured out.” Sojiro threw his thumb over his shoulder, gesturing towards a staircase hidden in the depths of the café. “Follow me.”  
Ren hoisted his bag farther up his shoulder, trailing behind the older gentleman as he led him up into the attic of the establishment. 

It was… definitely an attic.

Trash and dust coated the spacious room in a thick layer. An hour’s worth of work would be the minimum to cleanse the room into a presentable state. Cobwebs were strewn in grotesque, yet elegant patterns. In the center of the room laid two boxes, Ren assumed it was his belongings sent from home.

“This is your room,” Sojiro said, his voice still understandable under a coat of classic rock. “I’ll at least give you sheets for the bed, but it’s on you to clean this place up.”  
Ren nodded, letting his eyes drift over every nook and cranny. His mouth contorted into a strange expression; his nose wrinkling as a sneeze crawled its way out of his nostrils… _dreadfully slow_.

Sojiro took note of the strange facial expression, a frown creasing in between his brows as his arms crossed over his chest. 

“What? You got something to say?” The older man asked roughly.

Ren frantically shook his head in denial, the desperate action merely making the insatiable itch even worse. It built and built and built, Ren’s head reeling backward every time the agony doubled. 

“ _ACHOO!”_ The relief was an indescribable bliss. 

Sojoro’s eyes widened exponentially as he looked over at Ren. With a half-hearted _“bless you,”_ Sojiro focused his attention back on the cluttered room in front of them. 

“...haven’t dusted this place in a while,” Sojiro grumbled just low enough for Ren to not hear it. He shook his head once, twisting his body so he faced Ren in his entirety.

“I’ll be leaving after I lock up each day.” Realizing he was being talked to directly, Ren focused his attention on Sojiro. 

“That means you’ll be alone at night,” Sojiro’s face darkened, a much more serious undertone sharpening his words. “Don’t do anything stupid. I won’t hesitate to kick you out if you cause any trouble.” 

Ren’s body tensed, the music playing in his ears slowly becoming nothing but a dulled drone. Was this how it was going to be everywhere? Were they all going to whisper, gossip, point, and laugh at him? He supposed it was to be expected.

He was the main attraction at the local circus; the clown. _The freak._

_“You can’t do anything about it, you little freak.”_

Ren swallowed thickly, nodding his head. His grip on his bag’s straps tightened to the point his knuckles turned white. 

“Got it,” He muttered numbly.

Sojiro nodded tersely, leaning against a packed shelf. “Now, I got the gist of your situation.

“You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, you got sued. Right?” 

Ren nodded in a far-away manner. The small dose of comfortability he had found in the café withered away as Sojiro stared him down. It felt like an arrow had just been shot into his back.

“Well, that’s what happens when you stick your nose in a matter between two adults. You did injure him, yeah?”

Another nod; a second arrow through the stomach.

“And now, since you have a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school.”

Ren grit his teeth. Why? Why was Sojiro recounting the tale as if he hadn’t already heard it a million times? His choice of tone made it sound like he found the situation to be some kind of joke. 

_“Come on… whatcha gonna do, huh? Hit me? C’mon, hit me, clown!”_

“The courts ordered you to transfer schools and move here, which your parents also approved of.

“In other words; they kicked you out for being a pain in the ass.”

_“Nothing but a pain in my ass. Worthless freak.”_

Ren didn’t register the feeling of his arms trembling or the way his shoulders tensed as he all but shut-down. His music was gone. All that was left in its wake was the sad remnants of their vibrations. 

Everything had faded into non-existence: Sojiro’s voice, the music, the dull creaks of old wood, the afternoon rush down Yongen-Jaya’s main road. All of it evaporated as Ren hyper-focused on the room in front of him.

It was to be his room for the coming year. It felt like a glorified prison cell. He’d be stuck here for a whole twelve months, with nothing but his incessant hum plaguing him.

“...st don’t cause any problems and the year will be over before you know it.” Sojiro’s voice was the first thing Ren picked up on as sounds began to form once more.

“We’re going to Shujin Academy tomorrow. We’ll introduce ourselves properly to the staff there,” Sojiro let out a disheartened sigh as he rubbed his forehead. “You might want to take out those earbuds when we do.”

“We’ll see,” was all Ren managed to mutter out.

Sojro sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck as his face fell in exhaustion.

“What a waste of my Sunday,” The older-man grunted. He lazily threw out his left arm, gesturing towards the two boxes that laid in the center of the room. 

“Your stuff came in earlier today, so I brought it up here for you.” Without any form of acknowledgment, Sojiro was quick to descend the stairs back into the main dining area of the café. 

Ren stood statue-still for what felt like an eternity, the once soothing aura of classic rock was replaced with harsh, aggressive, thrash metal. The shift seemed oddly appropriate considering his mood.

With a firm shake of his head, Ren decided to focus on settling into his new room then to dwell on any negative feelings. He tossed his handheld bag onto the nearby mattress before kneeling down in front of the first of the two large boxes.

Opening it revealed its contents to be nothing more than basic necessities; clothing, toiletries, and enough books to justify sending the second box. 

Unwrapping the second box brought back a small semblance of joy to Ren. The bag of cassette tapes, the various instruments he used to create his strange remixes, his cassette player with the accompanying headphones. It was all there. Everything his _mother_ had given him. Ren clutched the cassette player close to his chest, allowing a small smile to grace his features.

Maybe, he could find some comfort in this small circle of hell.


	2. A Front Row Seat To This Grand Attraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter before we finally enter Shujin and are introduced to a very important thing known as P L O T, as we start the real show. A small disclaimer that I've played Royal, not the original Persona 5, so some stuff might be different. Well, it'll be different anyway due to canon divergence :| Anyway! I hope you guys enjoy! feel free to point out any mistakes I've made!

* * *

_?/??_

_“Mama?”_ _  
_

_“Yes, Sweetheart?”_

_“Why doesn’t Daddy like me?”_

_The young woman’s face fell as she tried to keep-up her small smile, she thought she had been prepared for this moment. She shifted the young boy sitting on her lap from one knee to the other, running her fingers through his untameable black hair._

_“Your Daddy doesn’t hate you, sweety. He just… doesn’t quite understand ya.”_

_The young boy, no older than five or six, looked up at his mother with a confused frown. His mother smiled down at him placatingly._

_“You know that your Mama can’t read or write very well. I think… I think your Daddy thinks that yer gonna turn out the same way.”_

_“So Daddy doesn’t want me to be stupid?” He asked glumly._

_A small pain echoed through the young mother’s chest. Her son was tactless, and although it was to be expected for his age, she couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit insulted by the comment._

_“Your Daddy just wants you to be the best that you can be, and even if you weren’t the smartest boy, your Mama would still love you.”_ _  
_ _The mother pinched her son’s cheeks, relishing in the way he playfully pushed her hands away as he giggled lightly. “But you an’ I both know that that ain’t true, right? You’re the smartest little rascal there is ain’t ya?”_ _  
_

_The young boy nodded as he laughed, rubbing his cheek softly where his mother pinched it. His mother rested her hand just above his, running her thumb over his nose and across his cheek. Her eyes, a bit sunken and one bruised, traveled over her son’s face. Her lips curled up into a rueful smile, her eyes watering up with unshed tears._

_“That’s my beautiful boy,” she whispered tearfully, planting a firm kiss on the young boy’s forehead._

_She held his face firmly in her hands, running them down the side of his face, down his arms, to his small, curious hands, until she could hold onto his fingers._

_It was peaceful; the moonlight filtering in through shuttered windows painted the boy in an innocent light._

_The sudden, dull sound of a car door closing sent a jolt through the young mother. Her eyes widened, her pupils dilating as she snapped her head up to look at the nearby door. Her son noticed the sudden change, his guileless curiosity causing him to try and turn his head to follow his mother’s field of view._

_A soft yet commanding hand was quick to turn his head back to where it once was. Grey eyes gazed innocently up at the young mother. Even in the dim light, the boy could see his mother’s skin, paler than normal; the blacks of her eyes were no bigger than the tip of a pin needle._

_“Let’s get you to bed, Sweety.” Her voice wavered every other word._

_The boy, albeit worried and confused, nodded in acceptance. His mother wet her lips before quickly lifting her son off of her lap. Grabbing one of his daintier hands, the young mother hastily guided her son up to his room._

_She quietly shut the door, so she could begin changing her son into pajamas. She removed his shirt, cautious enough so as to not disturb the welts and bruises coating him._

_She ruffled his hair, picked him up to place him in his bed, then fished out an old mp3 player from one of his nightstand drawers. She untangled the earbuds, deftly placing both in her son’s ears._

_The front door was slammed shut._

_The young mother went rigid, her breath quickening as she hurriedly tucked her son into bed._

_“Now, if anything gets too loud at night, I want you to play whatever song you want that you think’ll drown out the noise and help you go to sleep, alright?” She asked hastily, smoothing out a portion of her son’s hair so her hands could remain occupied._

_The young boy nodded shakily, clutching the mp3 player in his small hands as he felt his head sink into his pillow. His mother pushed on her warmest smile, planting a firm kiss on his forehead before quickly tiptoeing over to his bedroom door._

_Opening it as quietly as she could, the young mother poked her head out into the hallway, checking both ways before turning to face her son one last time._

_“Now, what’s the secret?” She asked in a whisper._

_The young boy swallowed the lump in his throat. “Love you.”_

_The mother smiled softly. “I love you too, Sweetheart.”_

_With a final, blown kiss, the mother shut the young boy’s door._

_It was dark and quiet. So, so quiet. So quiet that the boy could hear his quickening pulse in his ears. He fumbled with the mp3 player, selecting one of the many playlists on it as thundering footsteps roared underneath him._

_The quiet was disrupted. Shouting, screaming; the boy turned up the volume on the mp3 player._

_The young boy never did fall asleep._

* * *

_4/9_

It took a little over two hours to convert the musty, soiled attic into a much more livable and presentable state. The dust level was lowered to a much more tolerable state, the floors were no longer covered by their thin layer of grime, and the pile of the trash in the center of the room was separated and thrown into the appropriate disposal bins. 

To add a bit more of a personal touch, Ren had repurposed an old desk in the far back corner of the room to act as a small recording station. A bag of unused cassette tapes sat on a table near the left wall of the room, where they underwent a conveyor belt of different instruments and tools until they reached a bag sitting on the windowsill, this one filled with complexed mixes.

Ren tapped his foot along to the rhythm & blues track playing in his ears, smiling softly to himself as he took in the cleansed and improved room. 

There was a scuffle below him; heavy footsteps made their way upstairs to reveal a baffled Sojiro. The barista let his eyes wander around the room in amazement.

“I heard you making a ruckus up here, but I didn’t think you were actually cleaning,” Sojiro exclaimed. He let his gaze roam around once more, an almost impressed smirk gracing his features. “Actually, this place doesn’t look half bad.”

The longer Sojiro’s bespectacled eyes wandered, the more his smirk decayed, the expression finally wilting as his focus landed back on Ren. “But I guess it’s only natural to want your room to be tidy.”

Sojiro rubbed the back of his neck, gesturing lazily over towards the bed in the far right corner of the room. “Why don’t you just head to bed for tonight? You’ve got nothing better to be doing, right?” 

Ren gave the barista a one-shoulder shrug, lowering the volume of his mp3 player to hear the older man clearly. Sojiro nodded tersely in Ren’s direction.

“I’m going to close up shop and get out of here myself,” Sojiro turned to head back downstairs; making it a whole two steps down before whipping back around, pointing his finger up and down as he walked back up to face Ren. “Also, I won’t be the one looking after you if you get sick staying up too late, ya got that?” 

This time, Ren gave Sojiro a nod of approval. The barista gave Ren a bemused look, stroking his beard in a way that reminded the younger man of eastern philosophers. 

“You don’t say much do you?” Sojiro smirked as a thought came to mind. “Guess that’s a blessing in disguise. You’ll be less of a headache.”

Ren pursed his lips as he looked away, eyes downcast. Sojiro was silent as he made his way back downstairs, leaving Ren alone in the musty attic. The light of a street lamp bled in through the large window at the back of the attic, the otherwise warm, comforting glow of the orange light felt suffocating. 

It was his personal light for his little jail cell; another reminder that he didn’t belong. He would’ve preferred the inky nothingness that he’d peer out into from his bedroom window back at home. 

_Home_.

God, he didn’t know where he would have it worse.

Taking off his glasses, Ren rubbed his worn, tired eyes, dropping unceremoniously onto the rickety futon he had the _privilege_ of calling a bed. 

One year. _One whole year._ He may have been transferring to a new school, but the stares, the whispers, the pointed fingers, they’d follow him.

_They always followed him._

Surrendering to exhaustion, Ren removed his earbuds, almost immediately regretting the decision as the horrid humming invaded his senses; he ignored it the best he could. As long as he kept up appearances - played the role expected of him tomorrow - maybe he could live comfortably. 

He could live comfortably. 

The thought brought a weak smile to Ren’s face.

* * *

_4/10_

“To reiterate what we’ve said, you willbe expelled with haste,” the principal of Shujin, Kobayakawa, spat as he stared at Ren down his nose. He was a rotund man, the principal, the point at which his head stopped and his neck started was non-existent. His eyes were fixed in a set glare aimed towards Ren. Beside him stood a younger woman, somewhere within her mid-twenties, Ren would've guessed. Her hair curled around haphazardly without a care in the world, bouncing around happily and free. Her expression, however, was one of mild disinterest and stress. 

“Whatever you may have gotten away with, in the countryside… Those days have ended.” Ren snapped his attention back over to the round man sitting behind the principal’s desk as his surprisingly deep voice cut through his music.

“In my honest opinion, you are nothing more than a liability to this school’s reputation,” the large man continued. “However, we had certain circumstances to consider.” 

Ren chanced a glance Sojiro’s way, a small smirk barely breaching his face at the barista’s expression. He didn’t look at all impressed. 

“If you are thrown out of here, you will have nowhere to go,” Kobayakawa leaned forward towards his desk, folding his hands together as he looked at Ren with a scathing expression. “Am I clear?”

Ren had to swallow the biting remark that threatened to spill out at the principal’s tone. “Crystal.”

The principal leaned backward, unfolding his hands as he did so. Ren swore he could hear the chair bawl under the strain. The disapproving scowl had yet to leave his face, it seemingly deepening as his beady eyes stared just off to the side of Ren’s face.

“It’s often considered rude to not give someone your full attention, boy,” Kobayakawa remarked. 

Ren’s grip on his bag strap tightened, his mouth parting open as a reply soured his tongue. Luckily, Sojiro was quick to interject. 

“The kid’s got a hum in the drum, he plays music to drown it out,” the barista rubbed the back of his neck, it was clear he wasn’t particularly happy being there.

Kobayakawa hummed in recognition, a small snort escaping him soon after. Shortly after, he bent his left wrist in the general direction of the woman on his left. “This is your homeroom teacher…”

The woman took that as her cue to step forward, straightening her posture and widening her eyes so she’d look the slightest bit more awake. 

“I’m Sadayo Kawakami,” she rifled through her pockets for a few moments, fishing out a thin plastic card and a… pamphlet? Placing both on the principal’s desk in front of Ren. “This here is your student id.”

Ren stared at the two new objects on the desk, the pamphlet underneath his student id looked to be some kind of promotional material…

A small hand shot out to grab the poster faster than Ren could process. He looked up towards Kawakami, the teacher looking frazzled with a slight dusting of red along her cheeks. Kawakami squared her shoulders, attempting to look unfazed. “Be sure to read the school rules, any violations will send you straight to the student guidance office.”

It bothered Ren a small bit, to be talked down to as if he _didn’t already know_ what kind of situation he was in. Nonetheless, he nodded in understanding. The rhythm & blues track he had been listening to was swapped with a melancholic rock ballad, the smooth sounds of an acoustic guitar floating through him.

“If by chance you cause any problems,” Kawakami continued, crossing her arms over her chest. “I won’t be able to protect you. _At all._ ”

The young teacher turned her attention to Kobayakawa, not bothering to uncross her arms as she regarded him. _“_ That _is_ your promise, right, Principal Kobayakawa?”  
The large man nodded the best he could with little to no neck, clasping his hands together in front of him. His lips were pulled taught in a thin line. “He is responsible for all of his actions.” 

Kawakami sighed indignantly, rubbing her forehead with her left hand as if to chase off a headache. She nodded twice, more so to herself than any other occupant in the room, looking back up at Ren once she steeled her nerves. “Due to the size difference between your previous school and Shujin, we also asked the current student council president to give you a brief tour of the school and its facilities after hours tomorrow. I implore you to not be late.” 

Ren bit back a scoff. He hadn’t even attended a formal class yet and they already wanted to throw a leash on him. Once again, he nodded along submissively.

It felt… _wrong._ Over and over now, Ren just _nodded along_ to everything that had happened to him. Getting called out by Sojiro for nothing at all? A nod. Listening along as Sojiro recounted his unfair tale? Another nod. The principal of his new school chewing him out for no reason other than to show off their _authority?_ Nod, nod, _nod._

_“Know your place you little shit.”_

It made his blood boil in his veins.

A gust of air, brushed against Ren’s ear; a feeling akin to the intake of a breath of air beside his head. 

The meeting was adjourned with a tense handshake and hardly any formalities. Ren remained silent throughout the car ride back to Leblanc; even when an unknown party had called Sojiro and engaged in a short conversation, Ren remained silent. 

Upon reaching the café, Ren was quick to rush upstairs, tossing his bookbag unceremoniously; taking out his earbuds, and fishing around in his jacket pocket for something.

A tape recorder. 

He held down the rewind button, waited a few seconds, then hit play.

_‘If you are thrown out of here, you will have nowhere to go, am I clear?’_

Rewind… play.

_‘Am I clear?”_

Reaching over to a large, black bag on the small table near the stairs, Ren grabbed a fresh tape, placed it in a record, and began his process. He laid down a beat, used an audio card to remix and chop up the pseudo-vocals, added effects with the equipment his mother gave him. He spent hours tweaking, tinkering, and _perfecting_ the odd remix until it was to his satisfaction. And when it was done, and the sun had long since set, he put it in a case with a fresh label and grabbed a nearby sharpie.  
****

**Crystal Clear**

Ren smiled to himself, opening a separate black bag on the far right side of his small workstation, where the new tape joined a legion of others. The orange glow of the nearby street lamp continued its journey through the attic window, casting the cassette tapes in a venerated glow. Among the tens, one stood out; Ren’s gaze lingered over it for a while.

**Beautiful Boy**

He set his jaw, his eyes softening as he let his fingers flicker over its worn case. He’d make her proud. Even if everyone else laughed at him like some sort of circus attraction, he’d at least make _her_ proud.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's probably pretty obvious what I'm going for here :). Either way, feedback is always welcome and I hope you stick around!


	3. I Changed My Ways, And Positive My Fear Became

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Longest chapter yet! Standing at around 6,700+ words. I hope to keep the next chapters around the length as well, maybe I'll even surpass it one day! I hope you enjoy, feel free to give me any feedback and point out any mistakes!

* * *

_4/11_

Ren sat on the edge of his bed, bleary-eyed and exhausted. For the first time in what felt like ages, he had had a _dream._ At least he _thought_ it was a dream. Everything in it had felt so… real. The cold iron bars of the cell he had been trapped in, the chains wrapped around his legs, arms, and body. The unnerving stare of the long-eared creature that called itself Igor, spouting this and that about “rehabilitation” and “ruin.” Hell, there were even those two twin wardens standing on either side of his cell.

Taking off his glasses, Ren rubbed the bridge of his nose. There was a pounding deep in his skull that made him _favour_ the endless buzzing in his ears. 

In an effort to ignore the migraine, Ren opted to get ready for the day. Brushing his teeth, trying to tame his unruly hair, and getting dressed in his freshly minted school uniform. The dark black, red buttoned blazer and plaid pants were a sharp contrast to the much duller colours of his previous high school’s uniform. The last of Ren’s fatigue escaped him in an elongated yawn. 

Throwing his book bag over his shoulder, grabbing his phone, and placing his earbuds in his ears, Ren made his way to the dining area of Leblanc as the smooth harmonies of blues jazz slowly built up in his ears. He looked at himself in the semi-reflecting material that was the attic window; only half of his face was discernible.

Today, he would set foot into Shujin Academy as a new student, one with a criminal record. He took a deep breath in, closing his eyes as he focused on the various instruments performing in the song. The guitars, the drums, the bass. They’d be there with him as the rumors grew and as the fingers began to point; his _mother_ would be there with him. As long as he played his role and stayed silent, - no matter how much it angered him - he’d survive. With steeled nerves, Ren made his way downstairs, the crackle of the Leblanc’s TV managed to filter in through the relaxing rhythms. 

He spotted Sojiro standing behind the counter, wiping it down with a rag as he prepared it for a long day. The older man looked over his spectacles, a mild look of surprise gracing his features as he studied Ren. 

“You’re actually going to school, huh?” Sojiro asked. Ren pursed his lips and nodded in confirmation. The barista raised an eyebrow in contemplation, sighed heavily, then threw his rag over his shoulder.

“Here, I’ll at least feed you before you go. But make sure to finish up before customers start coming in.”

Ren blinked owlishly at the man, his head craning to the side as he watched Sojiro place a dollop of rice on a plate, siding it with freshly made curry. Ren smiled softly to himself as he sat at the café’s countertop. Sojiro placed the plate of food in front of him, sticking a spoon in the mound of rice as he slid it forward. Ren’s small smile grew exponentially, he looked up at Sojiro with a grateful look.

“Thank you for the food.” The older gentleman’s face erupted in shock. His expression was steeled soon after, giving Ren a sharp nod in recognition. 

Ren ate the meal deftly, shoveling spoonful, after spoonful, after spoonful into his mouth. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a warm, home-cooked meal, let alone one that spread warmth throughout his body as well as his current dish of curry did. The news rattled on about the recent cases of mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, but Ren paid it little mind as he ate.

The curry disappeared in a flash, leaving behind a semi-clean plate, and a large smile on Ren’s face. Sojiro nabbed the plate up quickly, tossing it into the small kitchen sink so he could wash it before opening Leblanc. “Alright, time for you to head out.”

Ren gave Sojiro a small bow of his head, his smile ever-present. “Thank you again.”

Sojiro looked over his shoulder, a rare smirk gracing his features as he looked at Ren. “Looks like you have some manners after all, huh?” 

Sojiro’s tired eyes looked at a nearby clock over his semi-circle glasses. In a moment, the smirk vanished, paving the way for the typical flat look the barista wore. He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his head. “You should hurry on out. You’ll be late if you get lost on your way there.” 

Ren checked his phone, displaying the time and the song currently playing. It was still fairly early in the morning, if he left now, he should be able to make it to Shujin Academy once he figured out which lines he had to transfer to and when. With a resolute nod, Ren made his way for Leblanc’s door. Sojiro watched the boy make his leave, and on a whim asked: “What’re you listening to?”

Ren stopped his exit, turned around, and gave Sojiro a small, heartwarming smile.

“Radar Love.”

* * *

_4/11_

_Rain_.

Of course, it had to rain. To add to the misery; he had forgotten to pack an umbrella. So there he stood, taking cover from the pestering precipitation underneath an unnamed shop’s hood. Phone in hand as he checked his weather app to see if the rain planned on letting up anytime soon.

It didn’t.

A heavy sigh escaped Ren as he skipped a mediocre song in his playlist. He wasn’t even at his new school and his day was starting off horribly. It took him a while to notice his companion under the canopy; he jolted slightly when he did, his lips parting in an exhale as he studied the newcomer.

It was a girl, her long blonde hair pulled into two twin pig-tails and her eyes shining a beautiful shade of aquamarine. She looked to be a foreigner, a descendant of one at least. It didn’t take long for her to notice Ren’s staring, her bright eyes scoured the nearby roads and walkways before latching onto Ren’s eyes in the corners of hers. She turned to face him in his entirety, neither displeased nor worried by incessant gaze.

The two stood there, staring at each other, for what felt like an eternity to Ren. Eventually, her lips curled into a soft smile before she turned to face the road once more. Ren released a breath he wasn’t aware he was holding, turning his attention back to his phone to occupy his field of view. Consistently skipping through songs that he didn’t quite want to listen to. A pedestrian, white car pulled up in front of him and the girl, the fogged windows rolling down to reveal an unassuming middle-aged man. Just looking at him had Ren taking a hesitant step back, something about the man just felt… _off._ Ren’s ministration of skipping through unwanted songs came to a halt, he quickly gazed down out his screen to see what his shuffle play landed on.

_Hail to the King._

“...id you need a lift too?” A deep voice cut through distorted guitars. 

Ren looked back up at the drab car and coincidentally, the man. The girl that once stood beside him had climbed into the passenger seat, her eyes no longer shining; dulled by anxiety and unease. Ren felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention, a chill running down his spine.

“No, I’m alright. Thank you,” he declined. Polite tone forced; his smile tight at the edges. 

The unnerving, wide smile of the man dimmed somewhat, and with a terse nod, he rolled up the car's windows and drove off. Ren could feel the discontentment ebb out of his body. The car took a left down a much narrower street, disappearing from view and a different, much spikier head of blond hair entered Ren’s peripherals.

This time, it was a boy, one that looked to be around Ren’s age if he had to make a wild guess. Ren noticed the discrepancy between the boy’s hair and eyebrows, it seemed he had dyed his hair blond. The boy scoffed as he kicked a pebble into the street, glowering in the direction the white car had traveled. 

“...damn it, screw that pervy bastard.”

Ren cocked his head to the side slightly, frowning in confusion as he pocketed his phone. 

“Pervy bastard?” he muttered lowly.

The boy had heard him; turning around, he faced Ren with a deep-seated scowl. His posture bent in an effort to seem more intimidating as he took a few steps forward. He gave Ren a once over, his teeth grinding as they locked eyes.

“What do you want? Plannin’ on rattin’ me out to Kamoshida or somethin’?” The boy asked gruffly, scowling at Ren while keeping a modicum of distance between them. Ren’s sour look merely deepened.

“Who’s Kamoshida?” Ren asked.

The boy’s vulgar face grew bewildered, his posture straightening by the inch as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“In that car just now, it was Kamoshida,” he offered for an explanation. 

It didn’t help much. In fact, it didn’t help _at all_.

“Bastard does whatever the hell he wants. Who does he think he is, huh? The king of some castle?” The boy spat, looking over his shoulder briefly.

Ren thought back to a few minutes prior; when _Hail to the King_ began playing on his phone. A snort of amusement burst out from him at the coincidence. He shook his head, focusing his attention once more on the boy in front of him. The vulgar teen seemed to be studying him, his arms crossed over his chest as he gave Ren a petulant frown. 

“You seriously don’t know Kamoshida?” Ren shook his head in the negative, confusing the boy further.

“How the hell… you _do_ go to Shujin, right?” The boy leaned forward, inspecting the small pin on Ren’s collar. Ren used a free hand to rub the side of his throat subconsciously.

“I mean… I _think_ so,” Ren muttered as he took a step back. The boy copied his movements, putting his hands in his pockets.

“Well, you’re a second-year…” The boy gave Ren a second once over, his brows knitting as he did so. “Never seen you before though.” 

A sudden thought came to the boy’s mind.

“Oh, you a transfer?” 

Ren pursed his lips but nodded all the same. The boy grunted as he kicked the ground aimlessly.

“No wonder you don’t know him then,” he grumbled. He took a hand out of his pocket, throwing it out away from the canopy as he looked to the sky. He nodded once in satisfaction before giving a sharp jerk of his head backward.

“C’mon, the rain ain’t too bad. We better get goin’ before we’re late.” Ren nodded in agreement. 

It came suddenly.

The music playing softly in his earbuds erupted into static as it fizzled out, a pulsating in his skull causing him to gasp and take a step back in pain. Judging by the groan the boy in front of him made, Ren guessed his companion had felt something similar. 

“Tch… damn headaches. I wanna go home,” the teen grumbled before resuming his walk. Ren made to follow him but paused as he began lifting his foot.

It was _gone._ His music was gone. The buzz was back to plague him. The suddenness made way for confusion as Ren desperately pulled out his phone. He pressed play on the UI displaying the music’s information.

Nothing happened.

He pressed it again. And again. And again and again and again. His breathing quickened; his eyes widening as panic set in.

Something was wrong. Something was _very, very_ wrong. There was no music. If he didn’t have his music then he didn’t have his mother.

And if he didn’t have his mother then-

“Hey, you doin’ alright?” 

Ren’s head snapped like lightning. The vulgar teen was looking at him. _Staring_ at him. He shook his head violently to try and tame his thoughts. An idea was quick to enter his mind.

“Your phone,” Ren sputtered. The vulgar boy made a dumbfounded noise. Ren took a step forward on shaking legs.

“Your phone- I need to see your phone,” Ren demanded adamantly.

The teen in front of him took a hesitant step back, raising his hands in front of his chest in defense as his yellow eyes grew owlishly. “H-Hey listen man-“

“Just give me your goddamn phone for a second! _”_ Ren shouted. He sucked a sharp breath in between his teeth as he tried to calm his nerves. _“Please.”_

The boy jerked in surprise as he stared at Ren, befuddled. With a jittering hand, he reached into his pockets, retrieving his phone as he cautiously handed it to Ren. The panicked teen snatched it like a starving man reaching for food. 

The boy, now standing beside Ren, muttered his password as he watched with an anxious gaze. Ren ignored everything, including personal information, as he made a beeline for the music app on the teen’s phone. 

He pressed down on the icon violently. _Desperately_. Again, and again, and again. 

Nothing happened. 

“That’s weird…” the boy beside him muttered as he slowly peeled his phone away from Ren’s shaking fingers. 

“It was workin’ fine this morning, it’s outta service and everythin’,” the boy said as he tried pressing the icon himself a few times. He ultimately gave up when nothing transpired. 

Ren had yet to calm. He squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his hands flat against his ears. He needed it to stop, the ceaseless buzzing. If it could just stop for a few seconds, he could find some footing as he calmed down. He took deep breaths. In and out. In and out. He failed to notice the vulgar teen look at him in sympathy.

“Hey, you’re not lookin’ too good man,” he placed a tentative hand on Ren’s shoulder, sending a jolt through the panicked teen’s body. The boy’s hand was quick to jump off, moving to rub the back of his neck in worry.

“Here, let’s get to school, I’ll take ya to the nurse’s office, they’ll be able to help ya,” he offered. Ren released a heavy exhale then nodded as he gestured for the boy to lead the way. 

The teen’s face brightened slightly as he turned around. He led Ren through a myriad of alleyways; a right here, a left there. Even with the hum, Ren noticed an abnormality. It was… _quiet._ As if everyone had just upped and disappeared from the bustling streets. 

“Is it always this quiet?” he asked worriedly.

The vulgar teen’s eyes widened in surprise. He made a quick glance around him, searching for someone, _anyone._ His face grew disturbed, his shoulders slouching in apprehension.

“Now that ya mention it…” He muttered softly. The boy continued his path to the school, enthusiasm, even if negative, now gone from his body, replaced only by encroaching anxiety. 

Ren made a worried glance over his shoulder, his eyes squinting as he noticed an odd shimmering. He rubbed his eyes with his forearm before rubbing his glasses with the hem of his shirt; his glasses may have been smudged. Even still, the effect persisted.

“The hell…” he heard his guide curse. 

With a fretful frown, Ren made his way to where he heard the voice resonate. He turned right down the next alley and recognized the spikey hair of his guide standing in front of a- Ren paused.

A _castle._

“We didn’t… go the wrong way though…” the blond exclaimed. He did a double-take of his surrounding, rubbing his arm thoughtfully as he looked for clues on their whereabouts.

“This should be it… yeah! It’s got the sign and everything!” The boy jogged up to the Shujin Academy sign, running a hand over it to verify its existence. His fingers touched hardened, engraved metal; his nose scrunched up.

“The hell's goin’ on here?” The boy cursed. He rubbed his forehead, looking over at Ren who stood in a stupor.

“Guess we’ll have to go in and ask or somethin’.” Ren swallowed thickly at the boy’s suggestion but nodded regardless. Tightening his grip on his bag, Ren followed the boy across a bridge- a drawbridge. They made their way into what looked like a grand hall, the ceiling adorned with a multitude of small chandeliers, as well as a grand one in the center of the room. It was vast and wide, with a staircase against the back wall, where a portrait of-

“Isn’t that-”

“Kamoshida?” The vulgar teen finished Ren’s question for him.

The two looked at each other, worry evident on both of their faces. They spent their time letting their eyes wander the expansive space. Everything about it screamed _wrong_ ; distorted, unnatural.

“Th-This is weird… where’s the school?” The brash teen asked no-one in particular as he looked around.

Ren wet his lips, as he fought desperately for an answer. Nothing ever came to fruition, everything about their situation was just… _uncanny._ Nothing was making sense no matter which way Ren spun the short tale in his mind. He looked at his colleague, the other teen still looking around in bewilderment.

“We didn’t make a wrong turn, did we?” Ren felt stupid for even asking. _Taking a wrong turn_ didn’t result in you stumbling upon a whole castle in a city like Tokyo. The vulgar teen looked at him with wide eyes.

“N-No! This has gotta be it!” He exclaimed decisively. The boy shrunk in on himself as he took an anxious look around.

“I mean… i-it should be. That sign _was_ for the school right?” He asked gravely. 

“Yeah,” Ren agreed. The boy looked at him with a desperate passion.

“Right!? You saw it too!” 

Ren opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. Normally, Ren would’ve reveled in having someone to ask questions, the only problem was the tone of the steps. They sounded _metallic,_ with joint creaking as if in a suit of armor. Because it _was_ a suit of armor, with a sword and shield to match. In fact, there were _two_ of them. The vulgar teen took a hesitant step back.

“H-Hey, what the hell’s goin’ on?”

The suits of armor moved closer, urging Ren and the other teen to retreat backward. Ren grit his teeth, a lump forming in his throat as fear overtook him.

“No way… this shit’s real man,” The vulgar teen slapped Ren’s chest with a loose hand in an effort to get his attention.

“H-Hey! We gotta run!” The boy grabbed Ren’s collar, ready to drag the dumbstruck boy if he had to. 

The duo turned to leave but they were quickly surrounded by another pair of walking suits of armor. They were quickly surrounded, trapped in a box. The swords of the suits were edging dangerously close along the lines of their throats. The blond teen scoffed, his nerves getting the better of him.

“Tch, the hell is with these guys?” He spat out. 

There was a dull thud, followed by a groan of pain. Ren turned to see his colleague on his hands and knees, eyes closed in pain as he inhaled sharply through his teeth. It was soon his turn to follow, as a pair of armored gloves wrapped themselves around his arms.

“Take them away!” Shouted one of the suits, this one a bit taller than the rest. Its voice was grating and distorted.

Ren felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, his vision beginning to swim as the ringing in his ears grew tenfold. For a moment, Ren swore he could see the dull hardwood floors of his old home as his vision turned black.

* * *

“-ey”

“Hey…”

“Hey! Wake up, man!”

Ren groaned as he sat up. His whole body felt sore, a headache pounded against his skull like a jackhammer, and his ears rang per usual. There was a cold spot on the back of his head where his hair felt matted down. Ren gingerly touched the spot, when his fingers came back stained by the faintest hints of red, his eyes widened as his throat closed. The vulgar teen was crouched in front of him, his face painted in worry.

“You alright?”

Ren removed his glasses from his face, pinching the bridge of his nose as he squeezed his eyes shut. He nodded twice, put his glasses back on, then looked at his companion.  
“About as well as can be. You?” 

The boy winced as he rolled his right shoulder. “More or less, yeah.” 

The boy looked around their confined, Ren following suit. They were in a cell, chains lined the walls, leg and arm cuffs were placed there as well. The vulgar teen kicked a stray rock through the cell door.

“So this shit ain’t a dream huh?” he asked glumly. His mouth curled in a feral snarl, his anger reaching a boiling point.

“None of this shit is makin’ any effin’ sense! Where the hell are we!? Some kinda movie set!?” The vulgar boy ran up to their cell door; Ren noticed a slight limp in his movements. He gave the cell door a violent shake, dust cascading from the stone ceiling from the action.

“Someone let us outta here! I know you’re out there!” 

Ren could sympathize with what the boy was feeling. The desperation, the claustrophobia. Locked in a room, unknowing of your fate. 

He was intimate with the feeling.

The vulgar teen’s cry was met with a howled scream, Ren’s body stood on end. The scream was coated in painful agony, and not long after was followed by another. Then another. Then once more until the final one was cut off by a choked sob.

The two contained teens locked eyes before Rem charged towards the cell door to stand beside his cellmate.. 

“What the hell was that!?” The vulgar boy shouted. 

His query was met with another round of agonized cries. The blond-haired boy recoiled away from the cell door as if it had scorched him, his eyes wide-eyed and panicked as his breath sped up rapidly.

“No…” he muttered. The boy clutched at his hair with a vice grip. “No, no, nononono…”

The scared teen began pacing throughout the cell, his shoes slapping against the cold stone. 

“What the _fuck_ was that man!?” The vulgar teen’s eyes danced around the room in a frenzy. Paranoia took over as he began searching for a way out. “C’mon, we gotta do something!” 

Ren, on the other hand, had gone still. But the rapid shaking of his bottom lip and the terrified tremble of his eyes betrayed the calm facade. Because there was a sad, sickening truth to their situation.

There was nothing to do. Nothing theycould do. 

“There’s nothing we _can_ do,” Ren choked out. His voice was hardly above a whisper; his thoughts racing in delirium.

Again and again and again. Always thrown in a cage, to be pointed at, to be laughed at. Treated like some clown; some freak. 

Ren jumped as his cellmate grabbed his collar viciously, giving him a hard shake for good measure.

“Don’t give me that shit!” The boy shouted, a minute amount of spittle flying into Ren’s face. “There’s gotta be something! A hole, o-or a loose bar on the door!”

The loud crash of metal on metal surprised both of the boys as they turned to face their cell door. Three of the suits of armor stood at the door, their expressionless masks boring into the boys’ eyes.

“Be glad that your punishments have been decided upon, inmates. You’ve been charged with unlawful entry. Thus, you’ve been assigned the death penalty.” 

The teen let go of Ren’s collar, stumbling backward towards the withering beds in the back end of the cell.

“N-No way,” He mumbled mindlessly.

Both Ren and the vulgar teen clenched their fists, the unfairness of the situation lighting a fire in both of their stomachs. With the blood rushing through his ears and veins, Ren missed the sound of a dark, demented chuckle in his left ear. The vulgar teen took a daring step forward, his fists at his sides.

“The death penalty for accidentally walkin’ into this place!? That’s bullshit!” He protested, clenching his teeth so hard Ren swore they would crack. Another set of footsteps made their way to the cell, although they didn’t bring with them the clanks and bends of armor.

“No one is simply allowed to do as they please in _my_ castle.” The new voice sound… _familiar._ It was still just as distorted and warped as the voices of the armor, but there was still a sense of normality buried in it.  
The vulgar teen seemed to recognize the man, as he leaned forward to grab the cell door once more.

“I-Is that you… Kamoshida?” He asked, astonished. 

Ren squinted past the dust coating his glasses. The man… he was the one in the car at the station. The one that made Ren’s skin crawl like spiders were clambering over him. Only this… _imitation,_ only wore pink briefs, a crown, and a bright red robe that was covered in pink and red hearts. His eyes were a haunting shade of bright yellow. The imitation let out a low, sadistic chuckle at the two boys.

“I thought it’d be some petty thief… but to think it’d be _you_ , Sakamoto.” Ren wanted to let out a bittersweet laugh. Sakamoto? He supposed it was nice to be able to put a name to a face now.

The imitation of the man grew a vile sneer as he leaned toward the cell door.

“Are you trying to disobey me again? It seems you haven’t learned your lesson at all.” His bright, yellow eyes turned to face Ren this time, the same sneer present on his face as he looked at him. “And you brought a friend this time since you can’t do anything for yourself.”

The words lit a fire in Sakamoto’s eyes, the teen giving the door a violent shake as he glared at Kamoshida.

“This ain’t funny, you giant asshole!” Sakamoto growled viciously. The clone took a step back, his face coated in surprise before flushing in anger.

“Is that how you speak to a king! Not only do you break into my castle, but you commit the most grievous crime, insulting _ME_ \- the KING!” The anger washed away as the skin-crawling sneer took over once more. Ren felt a chill run up his spine as he recalled what had transpired earlier that moment. 

_Hail to the King._ A cruel joke formed in Ren’s mind, maybe his phone could predict the future?

“You truly don’t understand the position you’re in at all, do you? You always were an idiot, Sakamoto.” The clone threw his robe in a flourish, jutting his hand out as he turned to leave.

“It’s time for an execution! Take him out!” Kamoshida ordered.

Sakamoto took a step back, a weak protest flowing out his mouth as the suits of armor entered the cell with the two boys. Ren stood rigid, conflicting emotions raging inside as he stared at the suits of armor. This… this wasn’t right, this wasn’t _fair._ If… if he wasn’t so _weak_ , if he had the strength his mother always said he had, they wouldn’t be here.

“...Goddamnit!” Sakamoto grunted. In a daring move, he charged one of the suits of armor, managing to knock it down despite the throbbing pain in his shoulders.

“C’mon, I ain’t down for this shit at all, let’s get outta here!” Sakamoto said.

Ren watched as the second suit of armor walked up to Sakamoto, the blond-haired boy looking up at it in fear as it delivered an armored fist to Sakamoto’s stomach. The air in the teen’s lungs was pushed out violently, escaping in a wheeze as saliva flew from his mouth. He clutched at his stomach, wincing as he fell to his hands and knees. Ren stiffened, eyes shaking and tearing up behind his glasses as he looked at Sakamoto. 

Why? Why was he so weak? Why couldn’t he protect anyone? Sakamoto was fighting, he was trying to escape, while he just… _stood there_ , like a scared little boy waiting for his punishment. He was so weak; so _pathetic._ Sakamoto looked up at him with pained eyes.

“J-Just go! Run- get outta here! These guys are serious!” he warned.

Ren wanted to, he so _desperately_ wanted to leave; to go to school; to wake up as if this was just some bad dream, as he got ready to go to _school_. The fake Kamoshida turned to look at Ren, a condescending smirk covering his face.

“Oh, running away, are you? What a heartless friend,” He taunted. Sakamoto pushed himself onto his knees, looking at both Kamoshida and Ren.

“He ain’t a friend…” Sakamoto spat out morosely, something about his tone rubbed Ren the wrong way. Sakamoto shut one eye, looking up at Ren with desperation.

“C’mon! Hurry up and get outta here!”

Ren could feel his hands start to shake, the cord connecting his earbuds to his phone jostling around with each repetition. The buzz began to overtake all ambient sound, the lack of music allowing it to spread like a plague. He saw Kamoshida’s mouth move up and down in another condescending jest, but the sound of his distorted voice was lost to the hum. The lack of reaction caused Kamoshida’s face to curl in offense.

“Pathetic scum isn’t worth my time,” he declared, turning to face Sakamoto with a scarily passive face. “Instead, I’ll focus on this one’s execution.”

Ren watched as two of the soldiers lifted Sakamoto up by his armpits, holding him up in front of Kamoshida. The clone’s face turned sadistic as he began wailing on Sakamoto. Punch after punch; to the boy’s face, to his stomach. Each one followed by a sneer and joke. Ren felt his blood begin heating in his veins.

He’d watched this scene numerous times… over and over and over again before. He could’ve stopped this, he _would’ve_ stopped it, he _should’ve_ stopped it. But once again, he was rendered useless by fear; crippling him. He was sick and tired of being weak, of being a useless bystander. 

With a final punch, Sakamoto fell to the ground. Kamoshida stared down at him with a bored look, spitting a wad of saliva in his face as Sakamoto looked up at him with a bloody nose and bruised face.

“Where’d all the energy from before go?” Kamoshida asked rhetorically as one of the soldiers picked Sakamoto up by the back of his neck. Kamoshida scowled at the weakened boy. “A peasant like you isn’t worth beating.”

One of the soldiers held one of their swords up to Sakamoto’s throat, the teen too bloodied and tired to react in fear. The imitation of Kamoshida seemed disappointed by the lack of reaction. “I’ll have you killed right now.”

Ren felt his voice finally come back to him. Rage was starting to flow through him like a drug, mixing with the adrenalin already in his blood. He wasn’t going to let someone die.

Not again. Not when he could put up a fight.

“Stop it!” He shouted, eyes growing defiant as a fire deep within him sparked to life. Kamoshida turned to look at him in mild surprise.

“Oh, don’t tell me you don’t know who I am?” Kamoshida asked as he approached Ren. His face grew malicious as he looked at Ren’s resistant scowl. “That look in your eyes is really pissing me off.”

A solid kick to the abdomen sent Ren flying into the stone wall, the previous injury on Ren’s head aching in a crippling pain as it came into contact with the wall, his back suffered a similar fate.

“Hold him there,” Kamoshida instructed his men, turning back to face the soldier holding Sakamoto up by his throat. “After this peasant, it’s his turn to die.”

Sakamoto gasped for air as he began to struggle against the suit of armor. He kicked his legs, trying to push the suit of armor away from him. 

“N-No… I don’t wanna die…” Sakamoto choked out. Tears finally began to fall as horror seeped into him.

Ren moved to charge at Kamoshida, but an armored hand wrapped violently around his throat, pinning him against the wall as he struggled in a similar fashion to Sakamoto. His struggling was cut short as a vindictive laugh filled his ears.  
 ****

**"̸L̷o̸o̷k̵ ̵a̵t̸ ̶y̴o̵u̶,̸ ̴a̷l̷l̷ ̶w̴e̴a̶k̷ ̸a̴n̴d̷ ̷p̸a̷t̵h̷e̸t̷i̷c̴.̴"̶**

**̶̡"c̷͋o̸w̶̄a̵̤͗r̷͝d̷.̶"̵**

**"̸̰P̸A̶͂T̷̾H̷͊E̷̒T̶I̴C̶ ̵͐F̴O̴͝Ó̴L!̵̇"̴̟** **  
**

**"̴̻̈Is̵̱̊ th̷i̴s̵ ̶tr̷̍u̷ly̷ ̴t̶̑h̴̽e̵ ̵͝é̴x̵͆ť̵ë̵n̴̊t ̵̇ö̴̠́fỷ̴our̵͋ p̶̌ó̶w̵̓ê̸r̶"̸͍͆**

**"̶̞͛** **"̷́͜Ǎ̶͍r̶̕e̸ ̴͐y̷ou̶̱͊ ̵̮̌truly̷ ̶t̷̃h̵͍̓is̸ we̶̊a̴͑k?"̶**

**"̶͎̀Ȧ̶͉R̸̗͗E ̵̕Ỳ̴O̸͆U̶̾ T̶̍R̶͝U̵͊L̶͆Y̷ ̴͌T̸͋H̴̏I̴͋S̶̎ ̴̛Ẇ̵Ō̴R̵̟̄TH̵́L̵ES̶S̴͛?"̵̭̕**

The fire within Ren grew. There were voices, three of them; two men and a woman. Yet their presence didn’t scare him, nor did they convince him he had finally gone insane. There was a comfort to their words; a truth. They fueled his rage. He refused to be _weak_. The fire grew in strength.

**"̵͉Y̶̰͠ő̵ǘ̴ ̸̕cö̴ul̴̏dn't ̶s̵̆a̵̓v̶e̵͠ ̴h̶͗er̸͂"̸͑**

**"̶͙͝Y̷̙͝o̴̊u̶ c̶͍̈o̵͐u̵d̵̎n̷͐ͅ't ̵̕s̴͝a̷v̶e̴ ̶e̵it̵h̴e̵r̸ ̷o̷f̶ ̵th̶̽ȩ̶́m̶̛̦.̸̥͊"̶͈̆**

**"̶͕̄Y̶̕O̴U̵ ̷C̶A̶N̸'̷T̵ ̶S̸A̸V̵E̵ ̴A̵N̶Y̷O̷N̷E̷!̵"̵̛**

_“No…_ ” Ren wouldn’t let that be true. He wasn’t going to fail. Not again. He could save Sakamoto. He _would_ save him. The fire grew wild, burning a cobalt rage. 

**"̸͖͆T̷͎͗he̴̍ͅn̴̝̈́ ẁ̴̱h̶̋y a̷re ̷̕y̸͗o̴̊u̷͘ ̷͊m̵̌e̶rĕ̷ly̴ wà̵t̵c̵h̶in̷g̶?"**

**"̸̖͂A̷re̴͋ ̷y̴o̸u̴͌ f̴̃or̵̕ṡ̴ͅaking̴̒ ̶̛h̷̤̏im̴͛ ̸̀t̷̓o̵͝ ̶̊sa̸͓̾ve̷ ̶y̸͊ou̵̒r̶͝s̶͋el̶̊f̶̹͝? ̷̛̬**

**"̸̝̌Y̸̜̾O̶̘͠Ǔ̶͔'̶̝͝LL̴͗ ̷͂B̷͛O̶͆T̷H ̶̓B̵̒E̸͑ ̷̏Ď̶Ȇ̵Ä̴́D̷͛ ̴͗I̸͝F̶ ̵̕Y̷͠O̶̎U̵̓ ̷̋Ḋ̷O̵̊ ̴̋N̸̄Ò̷T̸͠H̷̛I̴̽N̶͛G̵!̴̊"̶̢͑**

**"̵͙͒W̴͑a̴s̴ y̴̔o̴͆u̵̽r ̶̛p̴̕r̷e̸͌v̷͛iȍ̷ȕ̸s ̸̑de̵͗c̵̉is̷ǐ̶on ̸͠a ̵̇m̶̨̒ist̷a̴ke̷ t̴h̴͘e̸͠n̴͘?̶"̶͇͌** **  
**

Memories of a woman, crying for help as a man tried to force himself on her. Memories of his mother, smiling down at him, even as her face swelled with bruises and was caked in dried blood. No. No, it wasn’t a mistake to try and protect them. To save them. The fire exploded within him as he began struggling against the arm once more.  
 _“No. No, it wasn’t!”_

One of the voices cackled in demented delight, another hummed in a pleased manner, and the third and final one laughed in a boisterous pride. 

**"̶̘̈V̶̜̈e̶̓r̶y̴͋ ̴wel̷l̴̍,̵̀ ̶̇w̵e̷͑ ̵̛h̶͂aṽ̴e̷͆ ̶͠h̷͊ee̶de̸d̷ y̶ou̵͝r̴͌ r̴e̴s̵͌olv̶͂e.̵̚"̷̊**

**"̸̳̂W̵̢͗e ̶̿w̵̆i̵̠̍ll̴ g̷ive̷͑ y̶̌o̸u ̵̑ṗ̶o̴wë̶r.̵"̴͖̎ ̶̣͗**

**"̵̯̈́W̷E̷͋ ̶͋W̷̿Ǐ̶L̴̅L̵̄ ̶̓F̴̐Ũ̵E̴̓L̸͘ ̴̃Y̵Ȯ̴U̵͌R̴͘ ̸͝RI̸G̶H̶͂T̶̄E̸Õ̴U̶S̷ ̶̎R̸͆A̴̔G̴̐E̶!"̸ ̷͈**

Agony filled Ren’s senses. His skull was pounding, scratching, _clawing_ as if a wild animal was trying to escape its cage. The buzz of tinnitus was reduced to nothingness as Ren shook his head violently, trying to quell the debilitating pain.

**"̵̛̰V̸̩͝o̸̤͐w̴̅ ̴̿t̶̾ō̶ ̷̈́m̵̄e̶͌.̶͊"̸͑**

**"̸̚T̵o̶̓ ̵u̷̚s.̸̾"̶͎͌**

**"̷̣̀T̴̩̚O̴͈͆ ̸͙͊Y̸̌O̷̕U̶͒R̸͗ ̵̏T̴̆Ȑ̴U̶͛E̵͊ ̷͒S̸̅E̷͑L̴F̵͌!̵͘"̸̣͗**

The pain grew stronger; the fire within burning wildly as it singed, scorched and burned all that was wrong in his heart. 

**"̵̪I̷̪͂ ̵am̶͝ ̴͌t̶͐h̵̕o̸͐u.̸̄"̵̈ ̷̈́**

Said the first male.

**"̶͙͗T̸͘ho̵̦̿u̷͎̚ ar̵̒t I̸,"̶̱̉ ̸̪̀ ̶̫̑**

Whispered the female.

**"̷T̵̄H̷̛Ǒ̷U̵͋ ̵̓W̸̕H̸̓Ơ̴ ̵̽A̴̽R̵͆T̶̉ ̴̓Ẅ̶I̷̊L̶͋L̴͗I̴N̷̾G̶͆ ̷͂T̵͋O̷̽ ̴̽ P̵̂E̴̓R̸̊F̶̈O̵̍R̷̄M̴ A̷L̷͛L̶͐ ̶͆SAC̶R̴ILI̶͐G̴̐E̵̊O̵͌U̸S ̷A̷C̵̎T̴̔S̵̉ ̶͋Ḯ̶N̶̂ ̶̈́T̴̀H̷͐E̸͂ ̷̅N̷A̵M̸E̶ O̴͐F̴͐ ̵͊T̶͑H̶NE ̸O̵W̷N J̸̔U̶̒S̵̕T̶͝ICE!̴"**

Declared the final male. 

**"Ca̷l̴l̷ ̵͝u̶̎p̷̑ó̴n̸͒ ̵̉my̴ ̵̉n̶͂a̷͛m̶̑e̴̕,̵̕ ̶͆a̷̔n̵̿d̴̈ ̶̈r̵̊e̸͂l̵e̶as̷͛ẻ̷ t̷h̶̒y̴ ̷̄r̷͋ag̵͑e̷!"̴**

The pain reached a breaking point, Ren howling in agony to the sky. Slowly the pain subsided, focusing its fire along his temples, then his eyes, and finally to his nose where it stayed.

**"̷̖̊S̶̋h̶o̷͝w̶͘ th̷i̵͐ne̵͆'ś̶ ̵̑s̷̅tre̸ng̶͋t̸h̴͝ dee̸p̸͓̐ ̶̉͜w̵i̵t̵ḣ̶in!"̴̔**

**"Ś̷h̶̓ow̴̆ the̶̊ st̴̒r̶engt̷h ̵y̸̩͋o̵ur̷̈ ̷͗mot̵h̶e̵r ̵̚spo̷ke̸ o̶͌f̶̑."̶̻͛**

**"̷͕͆SH̸O̸W ̸͘T̷͝H̶E̵͝ ̷̈́S̴͑T̵͋R̸̈E̵̕N̵̈́G̷̅T̵̀H̵͆ ̸̈́O̵͂F̶͝ ̶̎T̷H̷Y̷ ̸͠W̴Ȉ̶L̵̐L ̵̈́T̶̒O̸̐ ̷̒A̶͘S̷͊C̴͘E̷͝Ŕ̶T̶͗A̵̐I̴͛N̵͒ ̶͊A̷͈͐Ĺ̷LǑ̶N̴̈́ ̵̋T̵͆HI̵N̶͌Ẻ̶ ̴͊OW̵N, T̷H̴O̷̾U̸Ğ̵H̴̊ ̵TH̶̏O̶͘U̵ B̶̈́E̴͝ ̵̈́C̴͂H̴A̷I̵NE̴̓D̵ ̷́Ť̸Ö̷́ ̷H̴̎Ȇ̶LL̸ I̵TSE̴̋LF!"̴** **  
  
**

“Execute him!” Kamoshida ordered as all outside sensation came to Ren once more.

Ren grit his teeth, fueled by the rage that threatened to spill out at any time when he first arrived. That threatened to spill at all the taunts, the jeers, and the lectures; at the unjust world that he was forced to live in.  
For now, he could release it.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” He pried open the fingers of the armored glove, dropping to his feet as he shoved the soldier back violently. He panted heavily, scowling through the pain that resided along the bridge of his nose. Kamoshida turned to him in anger, a vein showing on his forehead as he glowered at Ren.

“What was that?” The imitation growled out.

The soldier holding up Sakamoto dropped the boy, turning to stand behind its king as they made their way towards the defiant Ren.

“You desire to be killed that much!? FINE!” Kamoshida nodded in Ren’s direction, ordering his men.

Ren looked to his side, where one of the soldiers raised its shield to bash Ren in the face. 

It connected with a harsh, pain exploding along Ren’s cheek as he stumbled backward. His glasses, cracked and broken, flew to the ground, but Ren held his stance. 

He refused to fall. To _fail._

The soldiers pinned him to the wall with their spears, crossing them across his neck as a third raised its sword. Ren closed his eyes, steadying his breathing trying to calm his thoughts to find a way out. The voices, they had a _name_. They claimed they would give him power. He just needed their name… the name.

It felt as if the final piece of a puzzle had been clicked in place.

There was a gust of wind within the cell, bellowing Ren’s hair wildly as it pushed away the soldier’s trapping him. There was something holding him back, something preventing him from calling upon the power’s that had spoken to him; as if there was a mask that had kept them hidden. Ren touched the bridge of his nose gingerly. As it slid across a smooth, not skin-like surface, he gasped. He needed to tear it off; to tear free the power within him. 

He grabbed the edge of the mask with his left hand, pulling desperately to tear it away. The thing seemed superglued to his face. He enlisted his right hand, gripping the front of the mask, the two working in tandem to free it from his face. 

Ren could feel the mask give way, tearing his skin along with it. Blood spurting forward as it finally gave way. With a final cry of pain, the mask was free. Power ran through his veins, a sense of clarity overtaking Ren as cobalt flames erupted around his eyes. Kamoshida, kneeling on the ground, looked up fearfully as he tried to scramble free. 

The flame’s licked across Ren’s body, yet they didn’t burn him, they gave off a sense of warmth; of comfort.

Of _power._

The excited laughter of the first voice Ren had heard, filled his ears once more as chains sprouted from the ground, hovering around a figure that loomed behind him.  
With the wings and horns of a demon and a face crafted from the fire of the Sun itself, the figure smirked with his jagged teeth.  
 ****

 **"I, the pillager of twilight, reside within you."** It was the first voice that had spoken to Ren a moment prior. It was perfectly audible, despite the buzz that had returned to Ren’s ears as the adrenaline once running through him began to dissipate.  
 **"If you so desire, I shall give you the strength and power to break free from this crisis."**

With hesitation, Ren spoke. “Give me your power!”

The figure cackled devilishly in ecstasy. **"Very well!"** **  
**

Kamoshida, panic-stricken, put on the best scowl he could muster. He pointed towards Ren, backing behind two guards that had flanked him.

“Guards! Start by killing that one!” The king ordered in a frenzy.

In a violent display, the two guards erupted into an other-worldly sludge before taking on a new form, albeit smaller and much less threatening. Sakamoto watched on in confusion, rubbing his eyes as if to wake from a nightmare.

“...the hell,” he muttered unintelligently.

He watched as Ren crouched down into a much more defensive state, the figure behind him straightening its back as its wings flourished. **"This power of mine is yours! Kill them however you wish. Run wild to your heart's content!"**

A grin broke out onto Ren’s face, confident and defiant.

** "Say my name, and release thy power!" **

The words spilled from Ren’s mouth in a violent growl, one exuding conviction. 

“Come forth!” he ordered.

_“Arséne!”_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I decided to leave out most of the stuff with Igor and the tutorial bits with Morgana in this chapter since I believed everyone here is thoroughly acquainted with what happens. Morgana will definitely play a role in the next chapter, however, so don't scream at me yet.  
> The velvet room is a bit tricky. I'll most likely be using it sparingly, only mentioning key events in passing unless its inclusion is absolutely necessary.  
> Also, I know the funky text there was probably a bit difficult to read. I still plan on using it, but trust me, it will be sparingly. The canon-divergence also begins soon, so be prepared for that!  
> I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the future.  
> Cheers!


	4. Whispers Like Spiders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, this chapter is about 2k words shorter than the last one :( sorry about that guys. I found myself struggling to find a way to make this chapter comfortable with 6k words so I decided to shorten it so it felt a bit more cohesive to me. I believe Metaverse related chapters will be a lot longer than ones based in reality going forward. Either way, I hope you enjoy, any criticism is welcome, and feel free to point out any mistakes made!

* * *

_4/11_

_Half of the day._ He and Sakamoto had been missing for half of the school day. 

The two had managed to escape the distorted castle with the help of a strange cat creature that called itself Morgana, who possessed powers similar to Ren. Throughout various battles, the cat tutored Ren on how to control and maximize the efficiency of his new abilities, while also teaching him the rules of what he dubbed the _Metaverse._ Truth be told, it hurt Ren’s head just trying to comprehend everything he had been told at the time. Everything about shadows, Personas, cognitions, and distorted desires. 

Hell, when he and Sakamoto - whose first name, Ryuji, was inadvertently revealed when he began arguing with Morgana - finally left, any wounds they had developed had remained, leaving them covered in cuts and bruises; the lingering mental exhaustion that Morgana had warned Ren about had stayed as well. Ren tried to figure out just how it all worked, theorizing this way and that as Sakamoto tried to deal with a pair of cops who thought they were skipping class. He heard the more aggressive one of the two cops mention something about a call home before he and his partner left the scene. Ren held a very one-sided conversation with Sakamoto before following him mindlessly, his body working on auto-pilot. A cognitive world where desires manifested… Ren could feel a headache developing once more as he thought about it all.

Not only a headache but a strange sense of paranoia. He had been on edge ever since he and Sakamoto had escaped. He had begun checking around corners cautiously, his head constantly on a swivel as if he was searching for more of those _Shadows_ as Morgana had called them. No longer being able to summon Arséne, in the real world, had left Ren feeling strangely naked, almost defenseless. The feeling persisted, plaguing him like the constant buzz that he was finally able to drown out once more with his music. He was quick to throw on a classic rock playlist when they returned.

He followed Ryuji through the same path they took early in the morning, an astonished gasp escaping them both as Shujin Academy - the real one this time - stood tall in front of them.

“I-Is this the real one?” Ryuji muttered in astonishment as they stood before the gates. He did a double-take over his shoulder, rubbing his forehead with a free hand as stress invaded him. “I’m sure we came this way the first time… just what the hell is goin’ on here?”

There was a deep cough at the top of the stairs, a very stern; very _disappointed_ staff member was standing at the top. Arms crossed over his chest, eyes sharpened in a glare behind his square glasses. “That’s exactly what I wanted to ask _you,_ Sakamoto.” 

The staff member, a student counselor Ren would’ve guessed, made a show of straightening his tie as he glowered down at the two boys. “We received a call from the police minutes ago.”

Ryuji scoffed violently, scowling down at the cobbled road as he kicked a nearby stone.

“That damn cop snitched on us after all,” he moaned indignantly. The counselor sniffed pompously.

“It’s rare not to see you alone, where were you roaming around until now?” The staff-member questioned harshly.

Ryuji quickly grew flustered, a light dusting of red forming along his cheeks as he curled in on himself.

“Uh… a ca- well a castle…” He stammered for an answer, looking down at the ground bashfully at how ridiculous the explanation sounded. 

Predictably, the counselor scoffed at Ryuji’s answer. Shaking his head in disappointment. He focused his glare on Ryuji, refusing to uncross his arms as he glowered at the boy.

“So you have no intention of answering seriously, huh?” The counselor asked. Ren noticed Ryuji bristle, the dejection scarring his face contorting into indignant anger. He looked back up at the counselor defiantly, opening his mouth to retort.

“What’s this about a “castle”?” 

But was promptly cut off by a voice that had Ren stiffen. 

Kamoshida entered view, hands on his hips and his face rested in a strangely passive expression. He looked over at Ren, before slowly moving his expression over to Ryuji.

“You look so carefree, Sakamoto,” he jibed, causing Ryuji to grit his teeth in annoyance. “Quite the difference compared to when you did morning practice for the track team.” 

Ren looked over to his companion. The track team, huh? A leg injury during practice would explain the limp he noticed. Ryuji, however, only grew more angered at the comment. His eyes sharpened dangerously as he took an angered step forward.

“Oh shuddup! It’s your fault tha-“

“How dare you speak to Mr. Kamoshida in such a tone!” The counselor was quick to shut Ryuji down. He gave himself a few seconds to cool down before continuing. “There’s isn’t much leeway available to you anymore, you know?”

Ryuji scoffed at the comment, pointing an accusatory finger Kamoshida’s way. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard this shit before. Besides, he’s the one who provoked me!”

The counselor stomped the ground with his foot, sending Ryuji one last warning in the form of a sharp glare as he uncrossed his arms. “Either way! You’ll have you explain yourself! Now, follow me, _quickly.”_

Ryuji took a step backward, his jaw unhinging in disbelief before snapping closed like a vice. Resentful rage burning in his eyes. “What!? That’s bullshit!” 

The counselor grit his teeth, a retort singeing his tongue. Ren watched with a persistent frown, music allowing the bare minimum of the conversation to pass through. Kamoshida, however, was quick to interject between the two men.

“Hang on now, I should have been more considerate, too. Let’s say we’re both to blame, how about that?” the fake benignity made Ren’s stomach churn. 

The counselor pursed his lips, looking at both Ryuji in Kamoshida with a hesitant expression. He released an exasperated sigh, rubbing his forehead with a free hand.

“...Fine, if you say so. Still, you’re coming with me Sakamoto, it’s inexcusable that you’re this late,” he finally relented. He sent a dangerous scowl Ryuji’s way before re-entering the school. 

Ryuji reluctantly followed him in, never once taking his murderous eyes off of Kamoshida as he walked past him. Kamoshida watched him walk past with a strangely passive face on, nothing more than the stern stare one would expect from a teacher being delivered.

Ren moved to follow but was stopped as Kamoshida snapped and pointed at him.

“By the way… you’re the new transfer student, right? Ren Amamiya?” Ren kept up his neutral facade as Kamoshida studied him critically. The teacher grew perplexed, scratching his head as a frown creased his brow.

“Have we met somewhere?” Kamoshida asked ignorantly.

Ren thought back to earlier in the day; rain - which had since ended upon his and Sakamoto’s return - pelting all around him as he took refuge underneath a canopy, a girl joining him shortly after, then Kamoshida pulling up in front of them in his car.

“The station early today. You offered me a ride here,” Ren answered. Kamoshida’s eyes grew wide in recognition. He planted his hands firmly on his hips, his lips growing taut in a stern line.

“Looks like you should’ve taken it,” the teacher sneered. Ren ignored the jest, pursing his lips in mild annoyance.

“Regardless, I’ll overlook this just for today,” Kamoshida told him.  
Ren’s eyes widened in astonishment before a terse nod of genuine appreciation managed to push itself out of his body. He threw his book bag’s strap over his shoulder as he began his ascent up Shujin Academy’s staircase. He made it halfway up before

Kamoshida’s burly body stepped in front of him. Ren looked up in confusion; Kamoshida’s eyes had turned murderous.

“I’m sure you’ve already heard this from the principal, but cause any- _any_ trouble, and you _will_ be expelled?” Kamoshida leaned a few inches closer, his breaths escaping his nose like a raging bull. “Understood?”

Ren felt his shoulders stiffen as every form of appreciation left his body within an instant. He felt his jaw grow taut, his fingers instinctively turning up the volume of his phone so the classic rock playing flooded his ears. He kept his mouth shut as he stepped around Kamoshida, not gracing the older man with an answer as he made his way to the main entrance of Shujin. He could feel Kamoshida’s eyes burn holes in his back as he passed him. Ren curled his fingers around Shujin’s door’s handles, tearing open the door with more force than he intended as annoyance still fueled his actions.

Every head whipped over to the doors in record time. 

The anger flowing through his veins was flushed out of his system in the form of bile in his throat. His suspicions about coming to a new school were confirmed immediately. 

The whispering, the pointing. _The neverending stares._

_“Oh my god, is that him?”_

_“Is that the transfer student?”_

_“I should just stay clear of him. I don’t want to get in trouble.”_

_“I heard he keeps a lot of dangerous stuff in his bag.”_

_“Like knives!?”_

_“Shhhh, shut up! Don’t make him look this way!”_

_“Someone told me that he beats up anyone who looks at him funny.”_

Ren steeled his nerves with a deep breath and his thumb on the volume button; increasing the volume whenever the whispers were getting to him, then powering it back down so as to not damage his already wounded ears. His feet moved rapidly, each one being pushed in front of the other at a faster pace with each cycle as he charged towards the faculty office. So engrossed in his own world, the only thing to knock Ren out of his robotic motions was a violent collision with another student as he rounded the top of a flight of stairs. The resulting force twisting his body off balance so he landed on his back with a harsh grunt, the other person released a small shriek of surprise before they too fell to the ground; papers were scattered in harsh whistles and rustling.

Wincing as he pushed himself up onto his elbows, Ren prepared an apology as he got up. Internally, he dreaded the response he’d get. He had already charged into the school looking murderous thanks to Kamoshida, and not a minute later, he was running into students, no doubt hurting them in the process.

“Shit, I’m- damn it, I’m so sorry about that,” Ren apologized profusely as he pushed himself onto his knees. He scrambled to pick up the pieces of paper that landed closest to him.

“N-No! It’s my f-fault too, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going,” the distinctly feminine voice responded. Ren could see the other student’s hand in his peripheral also picking up the multitude of papers, a bandage wrapped around her right wrist. Ren’s eyes hardened once he noticed it. 

Ren piled the papers into a neat file, standing up almost in sync with the other student. He took notice of her attire as he took the few cautious steps needed to reach her; a beige turtleneck, the school uniform’s skirt, and a black, leg brace around her right knee. Her black hair was pulled into a ponytail, her bangs parted to the left side. What Ren noticed the most, however, were the bruises peppering her left eye. 

With deft movements, Ren slid the stack of paper back into the girl’s pile. She looked down at the stack before jolting her head up to look at Ren.

“Ah! ugh, t-thank you… um,” the girl gave Ren a curious look, her mouth fumbling for a worthwhile expression as she thanked him. 

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve ever met before,” the girl apologized, looking down at the stack of paper cradled in her arms with a frown. 

Ren formed his best-placating smile as he waved the girl’s worries away. “I just transferred here, today’s my first day attending.”

He left the part about him and Ryuji missing half the day out. 

The girl looked back up at him in mild surprise; her mouth slightly parted, her eyes widened owlishly. She nodded twice to herself, clutching the papers to her chest.

_“Do you think he’s threatening Suzui?"_

_“What!? But he just got here!”_

_“Poor Shiho, she looks so scared.”_

_“Just like when she leaves volleyball practices…”_

The two students grew uncomfortable, the whispering growing around putting both teens on edge.

“They aren’t exactly quiet are they?” Ren muttered bittersweetly in a morose joke. A shaky grin managed to creep its way onto his face. Suzui put on a practiced smile, one the exuded artificiality. 

“Secrets don’t really stay secrets here. Rumors are worse,” she joked weakly. Her eyes grew pained, hazing over in a sour mood.

Ren noticed the depressive mood, his lips pursing in suspicion. The whispers about volleyball practice, the bruises, and bandages, signs of depression.

Something was off here.

“Oh! I forgot to introduce myself,” Ren interjected in an effort to change the topic, he gave Suzui a small bow and a soft smile. “Ren Amamiya, it’s nice to meet you.”

Suzui’s mouth fumbled strangely for an expression, bowing slightly in return, careful to not drop the papers she was carrying. “S-Shiho Suzui.”

Ren nodded in satisfaction, smiling softly as he moved to end their short interaction.

“It’s a pleasure, maybe I’ll see you around?” Ren offered a one-sided shrug. Suzui nodded disbelievingly in response.

“Maybe,” she muttered lowly. With a dejected look, Suzui rounded the corner to follow the stairs downward.

Ren watched her leave with a wary look, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he made his way to the faculty office, no doubt needing to discuss his mid-day disappearance to the teachers. The remaining whispers and jests were drowned out by the harsh rhythms of hard rock as Ren dodged and weaved his way through the crowded hallways. The growing anxiety tamed for now.

It didn’t take long to find the faculty office door, and with calmed nerves, Ren stepped foot in the bustling room.

Finding his homeroom teacher, Ms. Kawakami, took little to no effort, as the young teacher wore the same yellow sweatshirt and jean skirt that she had as when they first met. She turned to the door in curiosity, her face contorting into a scowl once her eyes laid upon Ren. 

“Unbelievable…” she muttered, willing herself to stand up to face the teen. 

Despite the significant height difference between them, Ren felt significantly smaller under his teacher’s withering glare. 

“You’re over half a day late on your _first day,”_ Kawakami took a daunting step forward. “Can you explain yourself!?”

Ren could feel his throat close. He shoved his hands into his pockets in a nervous gesture, trying his damndest to keep his eyes on hers. 

“I was… lost,” he supplied dumbly. To his surprise, Kawakami didn’t grow angrier as he expected, instead her expression turned pained. 

“You got _lost?_ I know you’re new to the area, but that's still wildly unbelievable and this whole situation is highly unacceptable,” Kawakami chastised. Her face grew desperate; her voice pleading. “Can’t you smarten up? You were given fair warning yesterday regarding your situation.”

Fingers dug into palms as they drew blood. 

_“Now, I’ve got the gist of your situation.”_

_“If you cause any-_ **_any_ ** _problems, you will be expelled.”_

_“Cause any trouble and I won’t hesitate to kick you out, understood?”_

_“When are you going to realize you can’t do shit about anything you little freak?_

_“Worthless sack of shit. You belong in a circus.”_

On, and on, and on, and _on._ Every other sentence; every other _subject_ had to do with his probation.

“I _know_ the situation I’m in,” Ren growled out in annoyance. Kawakami noticed the hostile edge to his tone, a disapproving frown creasing her brow.

“Well you certainly aren’t acting like you do,” she informed him bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest. Ren could feel his jaw grow tight; teeth grinding against teeth. He took a daring step forward, anger fueling his actions like earlier that day.

“Do you think I _want_ this shit to happen? That I _want_ to make my life miserable?” Kawakami’s face became thunderous.

“Listen, I know you’re probably confused, stressed, and angry, but that gives you _no_ right to talk back or use that language with me,” the young teacher chastised angrily. Ren took a step backward, balling his fists as he tried to calm his nerves.

He mumbled an apology, looking down at the tiled floors in an attempt to regain self-control. The nakedness that came with no longer having Arséne at his disposal was accompanied with encroaching anxiety. Once again, one wrong move and his life would be ruined. He didn’t have power here in reality. Kawakami sighed in exhaustion, rubbing her forehead with one hand while placing her other on her hip.

“And the fact that you were with Sakamoto…” she muttered. With a wavering sigh, Kawakami continued. “Break’s almost over and classes will be ending after fifth period today due to the subway accident, so I’ll have you introduce yourself then. Follow me.”

Ren nodded as he moved to follow Kawakami out into the crowded hallway. She opened the door, letting out an “oh!” before turning around to face Ren in the doorway. “Don’t forget that you’re to have that tour with the student council president after hours.”

Ren skipped a mediocre song in his playlist as he nodded in confirmation; appreciating the soft-rock song that began playing. He followed Kawakami to his classroom, ignoring the same repeated whispers that he had heard when he first entered. He nearly bumped into the shorter teacher when she abruptly stopped mid-way through their walk.

“By the way, when you introduce yourself, _please_ don’t say anything unnecessary,” she moaned exasperatedly. Ren gave her a gesture of confirmation.

It didn’t take long to reach the classroom, as it was only a few meters away from the faculty office just down a separate hallway. Upon entering, the student body exploded in whispers and comments, Kawakami trying fruitlessly to calm down her students. 

_“Over half a day late on his first day! He really is insane!”_

_“He looks so normal though…”_

_“I bet he’ll slug us in the eye if we look at him funny.”_

Ren licked his lips in a nervous gesture, keeping his eyes pointed downwards toward the floor. He took a few calming breaths as he prepared himself for the myriad of eyes that would all be staring at him in curiosity; the muttering and talking was putting him on edge as is.

“Alright, settle down!” Kawakami commanded. The students silenced themselves quickly, their eyes shining in both curiosity and fear.

“I’d like to introduce a new transfer student: Ren Amamiya,” she made a gesture in Ren’s direction, prompting the teen to finally look up at his classmates; he tried to keep his face passive as best he could.

“We… had him attend from the afternoon on since he wasn’t feeling well early this morning,” she turned to face Ren, rubbing her forehead lightly in the process. “Alright, please say something to the class.”

Ren swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he let his eyes drift along the classroom. They were still leaning towards one another; whispering and pointing. A cold sweat broke out along his back.

_“He seems so quiet… but I bet when he loses it.”_

_“He was arrested for assault, right?”_

Not trusting his voice, Ren mumbled a soft greeting, laughing morosely as a nonsensical thought was formed. Maybe he’d earn some sympathy points from the student body if he played the role of the shy, scared, nerd; the idea was quickly dispelled. Kawakami gave him a worried glance before tapping her chin in thought. 

“So…um… Your seat will be,” She let her eyes wander over the class briefly. “That one, the one that’s open, behind Takamaki.” 

Ren nodded in confirmation, shouldering his bag as he began weaving his way over to the empty desk. The soothing sounds of blues jazz helped mitigate the whispers that followed him as he made his way over.

“Lies.”

The one word made him pause in his tracks.

He stared dumbfounded at the girl he was to sit behind, recognition flooding his brain as he looked at her.

“You’re…” He muttered dumbly. The girl gave him a brief glance from the corner of her eye before focusing her attention on the window she was staring out of.

_“Did you see that?”_

_“Do they know each other?”_

_“Is she cheating on Mr. Kamoshida with the new guy?”_

Ren looked over his shoulder at the students whispering about them, his jaw hanging dumbly as he quickly scuttled over to his seat. He glared at the girl in front of him with a scrutinizing gaze. Deciding not the dwell on it, Ren shook his head and copied her activity, turning his head to stare out the window.

Class came and went in a flash. Most of Kawakami’s lesson was lost to the sea of music and buzzing in Ren’s ears. He had stood up once class was dismissed, throwing his bag over his shoulder as he dug his phone out of his pocket. 

“Amamiya, a moment please.” Unfortunately, Kawakami’s request dragged back into the classroom.

“Did you need me for something?” Ren asked plainly, keeping his eyes solely on his teacher as she leaned on her desk at the front of the class. 

Kawakami rubbed her forehead for the umpteenth time that day as she gave Ren a tired frown. 

“I overheard some teachers mention that you were caught with Sakamoto, I just wanted to give you fair warning that that boy is nothing but trouble,” Kawakami groaned. “Also, we had to notify your caretaker of your absence, I suggest you head straight home after your errand with the president; he sounded pretty angry.”

Ren’s back stiffened like a board, his throat became a desert, and a cold sweat broke out along his brow. He nodded, licking his lips nervously, as his hands erupted into short trembles.

“Anything else?” He asked quietly. 

Kawakami noticed the sudden shift in attitude, worry overtaking her features as she straightened her posture.

“Amamiya…” She started softly. Ren craned his neck upwards, his grey eyes, wide with an inkling of fear. “You feel… safe with Sakura, right?”

The sudden irrationality of his actions caught up with Ren. He wasn’t back in his hometown; he wasn’t back in that cell he called home. He nodded once, allowing Kawakami to release a breath that had caught in her throat.  
“Okay, that’s good,” She muttered just low enough to be picked up by Ren as he increased his music’s volume with a shaky hand.

She dismissed him with a flippant gesture. “That’s all I wanted to inform you of, you’re expected to meet Miss Nijima at the main entrance, so you're free to leave."

With a second nod, Ren exited the classroom; shoulders hunched, head low. Kawakami watched him leave with the same worried frown as before. Something was… _different_ about Amamiya. She could feel a headache start to form in her skull, as she sat at her desk chair. She needed a cup of coffee, _desperately._ Countless thoughts started to swirl in her mind, none of them painting the boy’s former guardian or guardians in a good light. For now, she’d just watch him from the sidelines, ready to help, even if he was a problem student. She wouldn’t fail another one of her students.  
She _refused to_.

* * *

 _“There’s something inside you Trickster. Many things, in fact._ _  
_

_“_ _Your sense of justice has been unleashed; ready to fight the injustice of this world as you begin your rehabilitation. But the others… Yes, the others are just as interesting. I can feel something stirring Trickster, something that may bring upon ruin if not handled carefully._

 _“Yes, I can feel your_ **rage**. 

_“You are, truly, one of my most fascinating subjects. I shall watch you with great interest Trickster. I merely hope you don’t succumb to the evil plaguing you.”_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I certainly feel like this chapter is more of a buffer between the previous and the next, hopefully, that doesn't bother you all that much. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you all stick around for the next!


	5. Soothsayer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, this chapter is around 4k words. I hope you enjoy! Any criticism is welcome; feel free to point out any mistakes made!

* * *

_?/??_

_Grey eyes watched the horrifying scene unfold from behind a slitted closet door; tear tracks scarring a young boy’s face as he watched helplessly. Again, and again, and again, and again, his mother was slapped, punched, kicked, and thrown. Her screams punctured through the veil of music in his ears; her tears flowing just as freely as his. He shut his eyes tight, pressing his hands to his ears to try and drown out the screaming._

_It wouldn’t stop. He just wanted to stop. Why wouldn’t it stop? Why couldn't it stop!?_

_“Just stop it. Stop it! STOP IT!” He’d shout in his mind. He wanted to do something; to fight back, to hurt the demon in his room._

_Instead, he hid. Like a useless pawn saving his own skin._

_There was a pause in the rampage, the room being filled with labored breathing and the remaining sniffles and sobs of endless crying._

_“Where’s the boy?”_

_His mother wiped the blood from her nose. Her tears mixing in with the crimson liquid in a grotesque concoction._

_“He’s at a friend’s house; he ain’t here.”_

_His father’s face grew red in fury, curling into a snarl as he grabbed his wife forcefully._

_“Don’t give me that shit!” He spat in her face, a mixture of saliva and beer drowning the small room in an alcoholic miasma._

_“That little fuckin’ freak doesn’t have any friends and you know it,” the father’s grip around the wife’s arm became vice-like. The boy’s mother tried to meet the father’s scowl with one of her own, her conviction never wavering._

_“Why the hell are we paying for that dogshit school if the little fucker isn’t even going to attend!?” The father shouted, spittle flying out of his mouth in his rage._

_“All he did was miss the bus this mornin’! He was hardly late!” The boy’s mother challenged. Pushing herself up using her elbow and forearm. “Maybe if you weren’t screaming and yellin’ all night, the poor boy could get some sleep and wake up on time!”_

_Her jab was met with a swift slap across the cheek, a shriek of pain escaping her as her head snapped to the side._

_“Bullshit! The little shit is always listening to that goddamn music, he wouldn’t have heard shit! The stupid freak is ten years old! He should know when to leave to catch the fucking bus!”_

_The father leaned down dangerously close to his wife, nostrils flaring like a raging bull as he sneered down at her._

_“Now I’m not gonna ask you again,” he growled out devilishly. “Where. Is that little prick?”_

_“I told you, he ain’t here.” Even as dread filled her veins, the mother’s voice never wavered._

_“Oh, is that so?” The father asked sarcastically. He pushed his wife down onto their son’s bed, a surge of panic shooting through her as the rummagings of a belt buckle echoed throughout the room. “The little shit won’t mind then.”_

_“W-What are you doing?” The slight tremble to the mother’s voice signaled her cracking bravery._

_The boy in the closet listened in his horror as the screaming began once more, he pressed his hands harder down onto his ears, cranking up the volume of his mp3 player as he began rocking back and forth. Stuck in his cell, haunted by the screams; the desperate pleas of “stop it!” until eventually, they withered into nothingness. There was an odd whimper here and there through the animalistic grunts and sound of skin on skin contact. Soon after followed by disgusting gagging and wretches before returning to broken cries and slapping once more._

_It didn’t last long, but to the boy, it felt like an eternity. With a final groan, his father finished. Hardly cleaning himself, he re-buckled his pants, spitting in the face of his own wife in contempt as he left the small bedroom. The mother remained still like a corpse, her lips trembling in despair as she held back her sobs. With a single hiccup, the mother made herself as presentable as she could, silently making her way out of her son’s room to clean herself with a shower. Walking to the washroom hurt; the water splashing against her abrasions like needles was arguably worse. Her shower was quick, even as she gurgled the water in her mouth in an effort to make it feel as clean as possible. She dressed in loose pajamas and a bathrobe, wincing as the fabric rubbed against fresh cuts and bruises, sending waves of pain across her body._

_She limped her way back over the boy’s room, gagging at the smell of cheap alcohol and bodily fluids that pierced her nose as she opened the door. She made her way to the closet, opening it gently with the lightest touch. To see her son balled up in the corner, eyes full of fear as he desperately tried to block out the outside world pained her. He looked up fearfully from his corner, letting out a relieved gasp when he saw the beaten and broken form of his mother. He scrambled over to her, clutching onto her rob as he bawled into her shoulder, apologizing over and over as he rubbed his back soothingly._ _  
_

_“I-It’s not f-fair!” The boy sobbed into her shoulder, earning calm assurances from his mother._ _  
_

_“Oh, it’s ok baby, it’s ok,” she soothed. She felt her son stiffen under her touch, a low hiss escaping him as he pushed himself away from her._

_“No! It’s not! He… He’s hurting you because of my mistake! I-It’s not… not your fault,” he sniffled, his smaller hands curling into her robe as he looked down at the floor they sat on._ _  
_

_“It’s not your fault either, sweetheart,” She sighed. She brushed his bangs with her fingertips, tears welling in her eyes as she saw the bruise blemishing his right eye. The mother cursed under her breath tenderly wrapping her son’s head under her arms in a hug. Running her hands down to her son’s fingers, the mother gently guided him to stand._ _  
_

_“Let’s go to my room, darling. You’re not staying in here tonight.”_ _  
_

_The boy followed her into the hallway with a reluctant nod, his face contorting into a sneer as he hiccuped away the last few remnants of his tears. Over time, the white-lie that his mother had fed him - that his father didn’t hate him; didn’t hate_ **them** _, withered away as he grew older. He was smarter; he was stronger._

_“He can’t keep getting away with this,” the boy growled out. The anger in his voice made it acidic, capable of burning holes through the floor, as well the hearts the tone was directed towards. The mother stopped in her tracks in the middle of the hallway, her son looking up at her in confusion as he bumped into her back._

_She turned around slowly, crouching down to look her son square in the eye as she cupped his face in her hands._

_“Baby, are you angry?” She asked calmly._

_Her son’s eyes sharpened dangerously, a fire sparking within him as his hands balled into fists at his sides._

_“Am I angry?” He asked rhetorically, his teeth glinting in the dull, orange shade of the hallway light. “Of course I’m angry!_

_“He’s ruining your life! He- He’s hurting you! I just wish he’d disappear!” The energy slowly flushed out of the boy’s system. A fresh batch of anger-fueled tears brimming along his eyes._

_“He’s hurting you, because of me,” he muttered weakly, his voice cracking. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, grabbing his elbows; tucking in his chin as he tried to prevent his tears from spilling._

_“Maybe I should just disappear.”_

_The mother was quick to place a finger under the boy’s chin, lifting his head urgently but with gentleness as to not scare. Her eyes were wide in panic; her mouth thinning into a sharp line._

_“Renny, don’t you_ **ever** _say something like that again,” she said sternly. Her son’s grey eyes bore into her own, a rebuttal soaking his tongue as he opened his mouth to protest. The mother hushed him with a pointer finger over his lips._

_“You. Are an incredibly gifted boy, Ren,” she smoothed out her son’s hair affectionately. “You’re smarter than I’ll ever be, you’re funny, you’re so incredibly strong and brave, and you’ve got the cutest little cheeks that one day, a lucky girl will be allowed to pinch all she wants.”_

_She pinched her son’s cheek carefully with her middle and forefinger, relishing in the way his tears were momentarily forgotten as a teary-eyed smile made its way to his face. “You are_ **_not_ ** _an angry boy, and you definitely shouldn’t disappear, ya hear me?”_

_Ren took a step forward, his mouth working faster than his mind as he moved to argue. “But-“_

_“No buts, mister.” His mother cut him off firmly. She slid her hands back down to his shoulders, ignoring the way her knees protested against her prolonged crouched position._

_“It’s okay to be angry sometimes; I get angry too,” she lectured softly. “That anger can be useful, it can push you to keep fighting for what you believe in until your very last breath. But…”_

_Ren felt his breath hitch as his mother took a shuddering breath. “But you can’t let it control you, sweety. You’ll start thinking crazy thoughts that have no reason to exist; you’ll do things ya don’t mean to. You understand?”_

_Even though he was still hesitant with his movements, Ren nodded. The warm smile his mother graced him with made the singular nod worthwhile._

_“That’s my beautiful boy,” planting a kiss on the boy’s forehead, the mother led him through the long hallway to the master bedroom door. She was quick to tuck her son into the much larger bed once they entered, crawling in after him once he was settled._

_She turned to her side to face her son, running the back of her fingers gently across his cheek. “Now, what’s the secret, darling?”_

_“Mmm, love you,” Ren responded in a daze, already half asleep. The mother smiled to herself._

_“I love you too, sweetheart.”_

_She placed one last kiss on her son’s cheek, before allowing herself to succumb to sleep._

* * *

_4/11_

Makoto Nijima expected many things when she was asked to give the new transfer student - one with a criminal record at that - a brief tour of Shujin to help him gain his bearings. 

She expected a tall, buff, mountain of a teen glaring down the hallway in anger at what they deemed annoying or unfair; a personal fantasy spurred upon by the yakuza films she held dear to her heart, even though the notion itself was ridiculous. 

She expected a delinquent; a criminal.

What she _didn’t_ expect, however, was a young man, eyes glazed over as he stared into oblivion, earbuds lodged firmly in his ears as he leaned against the shoe lockers present at the main entrance. His arms crossed, his hands grabbing either elbow; his chin tucked into his chest. 

She didn’t expect someone so _normal._ She chalked it up to general naïveté. 

She approached the teen with a degree of authority. Keeping her hands held together in front of her, her expressions as neutral as could be, and her back straightened to the point it was beginning to get uncomfortable. She cleared her throat in an effort to garner his attention, her skin bristling when he failed to respond.

“Excuse me?” The sound of her voice caused the boy’s head to snap to attention, the sudden jolt in his movement startling Makoto.

“You’re Ren Amamiya, correct?” The boy gave her a nod of confirmation. With a practiced, professional smile, Makoto gave him a small bow. 

“I’m Makoto Nijima, the student council president, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her introduction was met with a critical stare and pursed lips. 

Ren appeared on edge, perhaps he was stressed over his first day? She had been informed that he was missing for about half of it, and Miss Kawakami _had_ briefly mentioned how the boy was… _tense_ to say the least, over a short phone call to the student council room. 

His silence unnerved Makoto slightly as he studied her under a critical gaze. She waited a few minutes for him to say something; _anything,_ before the silence got the best of her.

“Is there… anywhere, in particular, you’d like to see?” Makoto perked up when she saw how Ren reacted positively to the question; the way his eyes widened and the smallest of smirks was able to grace his face.

“Why don’t we start with the library?” His voice did something to her insides. There was a rumble to his tone that was both enticing and relaxing; the kind of voice you’d find narrating an audio-book, Makoto mused. 

“Excellent choice, I spend quite a bit of time there myself.” Makoto made a gesture with her hand, doing her best to maintain her professional smile. Ren pushed himself off of the brick wall, the wire of his earbuds dangling across his neck as he did so, a soft smile overtaking the amused smirk as he grew more comfortable. 

The walk to the third floor was quiet; Ren allowed his eyes to wander around the halls and across the numerous doors and signs. The dull orange glow of the mid-afternoon sun filtering in through the large windows helped paint the school in a welcoming light. The atmosphere paired well with the lo-fi tracks currently playing through Ren’s earbuds. It was calming. Comforting. 

Upon reaching their destination, Makoto slid open the library door. Ren let his eyes explore the new room fervently. Three rays of light pooled into the room from the windows just behind a small collection of study cabins; Ren was pleased to see numerous shelves and cases filled top to bottom with novels, comics, and magazines alike, all varying in size and length. There were two circular tables standing in the center of the room, four chairs rounding the sides of both. Upon entering, Ren let his fingers trace over the spines of each book he saw. 

“Now, despite your extended… absence this morning, I hope Shujin has been to your liking so far.” There was a brief pause in Ren’s movements as Makoto’s question registered in his ears. 

“It hasn’t been horrible.” Ren turned his head to look at the student council president still standing near the door. With a single shoulder, he shrugged; a bittersweet smirk painted on his face. “Could be a little quieter.” 

Makoto’s optimistic expression cracked slightly, a much more tired and defeated look dawning her face as she massaged her forehead. 

“I do apologize for the behavior of the student body. I’ve tried numerous times to discourage spreading false information,” Makoto apologized. Ren waved off her concerns with a sigh, turning to face her entirely as he left the shelf of books alone. 

“It’s fine, I’m able to drown out most of it anyway.” He made a show of leaning and tapping the back of his earbuds, ignoring the popping in his ears as he did so. Makoto wasn’t placated in the slightest. She squared her shoulders, holding her head up high.

“Be that as it may, such behavior is highly unacceptable and is quite harmful to those it surrounds. It’s my job as the student council president to thwart such things.” Ren blinked in amazement, his mouth fumbling around as he searched for words to respond. Eventually, he gave up, allowing the awe-struck smile that had formed on his face to do his talking for him. 

“That’s quite admirable of you to say,” Ren admitted. Makoto took the compliment in stride, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with her professional smile once again appearing. 

“I believe that’s the first time I’ve heard a student actually commend me for my efforts,” Makoto revealed as she left the library alongside Ren, moving on with the short tour. Ren gave the student council president a quizzical look, following her outside of the library as they moved on.

“Do the students, not like you?” He asked innocently. Makoto gave Ren a worried glance as they stood in the third-floor hallway, debating whether or not to confide in the newest student. Truth be told, she had been searching for someone to whom she could confide in, even if momentarily; with her sister never home and Kobayakawa and the staff being the way they were, - minus maybe Ms. Kawakami - no one screamed… helpful. With a dejected sigh, Makoto conceded.

“It’s only April and most of the student body has already deemed me unfit for student council president.” Makoto rubbed her face with both hands, exhaustion ebbing off of her in waves as she stepped back to lean against the nearby wall. She let herself slide down, nearly scratching her back in the process, momentarily forgetting about their planned tour.

“And the best part? They can hardly justify it,” she joked weakly. Ren followed her lead and sat down on the wooden floor, placing his bag to his side as he let his legs stretch out like a cat. Makoto let her head roll backward, tapping lightly against the wall as she sighed. 

“I just want to help them, but they only see me as the principal’s pet; the suck-up.” An undignified whimper managed to claw its way out of Makoto, Ren watched her in silence as he let his music play softly. 

He let her words register in his mind, thinking them over this way and that as he thought of how to respond. He cleared his throat loudly, gaining the girl’s attention effortlessly. 

“Well, you showed me the way to just about the only facility in this school that I would actually seek out, without so much as a hitch, so… I’d say you were plenty helpful.” Ren’s long-winded thanks, coupled with his comforting smile sent a jolt through Makoto’s body.

“O-Oh my god.” She scrambled up to her feet, smoothing out her skirt. Her eyes were wide and panicked as the sudden realization that she had just dumped a portion of her worries onto someone she had just met dawning on her. 

“W-We just met and I just… unloaded all of that onto you.” Ren was slow to his feet, his attempts to keep his amused laughter contained being in vain. 

“It’s fine; no harm, no foul,” Ren said calmingly, nearly snorting at the light blush on the student council president’s face. 

“Sha-Shall we continue?” Makoto managed to stutter out. 

Ren only nodded in return, gesturing for Makoto to lead the way so as to continue their tour. 

The rest of it was conducted in relative silence; Makoto only speaking when she needed to introduce Ren to one of the many facilities the school offered. The gymnasium, the cafeteria, the student council room where she offered an extended invitation if he was ever in need of help, the school’s rooftop.

The P.E faculty office. 

All of it culminated into a quiet, yet pleasant experience for Ren. Makoto escorted him back to the main entrance of Shujin, still remaining silent as Ren bowed his thanks and left the school for the day. The only remaining obstacle?

Sojiro Sakura.

* * *

Leblanc loomed over him like a demon; rain pattering around Ren like earlier that day has his hand curled nervously around the door’s handle. His pulse was rushing in his ears, drowning out both the buzz and the music as his breath quickened. A mantra repeated in his mind fruitlessly.

 _You’re not back at home. You’re not back at home. You’renotbackathome._ Over and over until each word; each syllable, blended together into a homogenous mess. With a burst of adrenaline, he pulled open the door to the café, his stomach sinking as he watched Sojiro turn around from behind the counter. 

A cigarette hung loosely from his scowled lips, _the scent of booze lingering in the stale air of the living ro-_ _  
_

“Hey, I got a call from the school today,” The barista noted gruffly. He put out his cigarette in the nearest ashtray, throwing a towel over his shoulder as he rounded the corner of the main bar to stand in front of Ren. “I was told you ditched half the day, on your first day of school.”

Ren hunched his shoulders, not daring to look the man in the eye as his throat closed tightly.

“I-I’m sorry,” his own voice sounded foreign to his ears. Ren wanted to press his hands to his ears, to drown out everything with guitars and drums; steady beats, and calming rhythms, but he couldn’t do that, he had to own up to his mistakes.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s what they all say when they’re caught,” Sojiro remarked bitterly. 

“Look, just behave yourself, alright? Is it really that hard?” The barista’s voice gained an edge to it; growing ever so slightly louder. Ren felt himself curl inwards, cold sweat running down the length of his back as his eyes squeezed themselves shut.

Sojiro just sighed tiredly, rubbing his eyes from beneath his glasses as the day caught up with him. He looked back up at Ren, frowning at the boy’s defensive stance.

“Hey, look at me.” Sojiro snapped his fingers.

Ren flinched.

Sojiro’s frown deepened, slowly retreating his hand back into his pocket. He felt his phone vibrate in his pant pocket, the small beeps of an incoming call cutting through the dreadful silence inside the café. He was quick to answer the call.

“Hello? …Yeah, I just closed up shop, I’ll be over in half an hour, just as promised.” He sent a fleeting look Ren’s way, lowering the phone from his ear and covering the speaker with his free hand as he did so.

“Hey, kid, head upstairs and go to bed.” Sojiro made sure to keep his voice as level as possible, finding a slight comfort in the way Ren nodded shakily before quickly walking up the creaking staircase past him. 

_“Hey! Who were you talking to Sojiro!?”_ _  
_

Sojiro blinked in a dazed manner before putting his phone back to his ear.

“Oh, just some part-timer, no one important.” There was an impatient huff on the other end of the call before it was abruptly cut off. 

Sojiro sighed heavily, not pocketing his phone right away as he exited Leblanc. He lit a second cigarette, pulling up his contact list as he made a second call. The phone rang twice before being answered. The harsh squeals of punk-rock blaring through the phone’s speaker made Sojiro simultaneously pull the device away from his ear as he winced. 

“Takemi, are you free right now?”

 _"Do I sound busy?”_ Came the dry response, barely audible over the roaring guitars. 

A low rumble escaped Sojiro’s chest in the form of laughter. He took a puff of his cigarette, tapping out the ashes into a puddle of rainwater of the street. 

“Fair enough,” he mused. “Listen, how much do you know about mental health?”

A disapproving huff, not unlike the one he heard earlier, was the response Sojiro earned.

_“I’m a general practitioner. Not a shrink, Sakura.”_

“I know, I know, just…” a second drag of the cigarette. 

“The kid I took in - the one on probation - there’s something… off with him.”

There was an amused snort on the other end.

_“What? Did he charge into Leblanc screaming slurs at the top of his lungs?”_

“Your humor is as charming as ever Takemi, but no. This is serious.” 

_“Serious how?”_ _  
_

A third drag of the cigarette; half of it already gone.

“The kid got all defensive when I raised my voice even slightly. Hell, he _flinched_ when I so much as snapped my fingers.” 

The line went eerily silent as Sojiro continued to work his cigarette. The distorted guitars disappeared, either callers’ voice also dropping in an instant.  
 _“You’re not giving me a whole lot to work off of here.”_

Sojiro huffed out a breath, rubbing his forehead with his thumb.  
“I know. I know, but I have my suspicions, so _please_ at least talk with him?” 

The line remained quiet. A single solitary breath indicating the call was still ongoing.

_“Fine. Swing by with him any time tomorrow.”_

Sojiro took the final drag of his cigarette, stomping it under his heel as he exhaled. 

“Thanks, Takemi. Consider your next cup on the house.” 

_“That’s a horrible way to run a business, you know?”_

Sojiro let an amused chuckle rumble its way out of him. 

“Yeah, well, gotta keep my customers somehow.” There was a low hum on the other end of the call before the line went dead; a headache threatened to pound its way into Sojiro’s head. 

With a resigned huff, Sojiro turned right down the alleyway Leblanc was located in, towards the main street of Yongen-Jaya, replaying the events that occurred mere minutes ago over and over in his head. 

The kid wasn’t well, that much was for certain. He only prayed that Takemi could figure out what was wrong with him. For better or for worse. 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good? Bad? Horrible? Feel free to let me know what you think, and I hope you stick around for future chapters!

**Author's Note:**

> Bit of a short chapter, but they will increase in size over the course of the story. Hopefully, this small tidbit was enough to pique your interest so far. I hope you enjoyed it! If you see any mistakes, feel free to let me know!


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